Samrat released on bail

Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, an expelled Jubo League leader, was released on bail Thursday afternoon, nearly two and a half years after he was arrested in Cumilla during the anti-casino effort.

According to Mahbubul Islam, jailor of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, Samrat was freed around 4:30 p.m. from a prison cell at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University where he was being treated for illness.

Because of his health, Samrat was previously granted bail in money laundering, guns, and drugs offenses.

Judge Al Asad Md Asifuzzaman of Dhaka's Special Judge Court-6 granted him release, citing his imprisonment from October 6, 2019.

The judge also ordered Samrat to provide his passport to the court when posting bail.

The charge sheet against Samrat, a "kingpin" of illicit gambling companies in the city, was submitted to the Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka on December 7, 2020, by ACC Deputy Director Jahangir Alam, who is also the case's investigation officer (IO).

The ACC filed a case against Samrat with the Integrated District Office-1 of Dhaka on November 12, 2019, for accumulating unlawful wealth of Tk 2.94 crore.