SC suspends bail order by HC to Regent’s Shahed

The Appellate Division on Sunday suspended the bail order by the High Court to Regent Group chairman Mohammad Shahed in an arms case, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Appellate Division Chamber Justice M Enayetur Rahim suspended the bail order following the state's petition. The court fixed August 1 for the hearing of the petition filed by the state, reports UNB.

Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath and Deputy Attorney General Md Bashir Ullah represented the state in the court while senior lawyer SM Shahjahan appeared for Shahed.

Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court framed charges against Shahed with five others, including former director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Abul Kalam Azad, in a case over Regent Hospital’s fake Covid test report scam.

Regent Group Chairman Shahed was sentenced to life imprisonment in arms cases on September 28 in 2020 by the lower court. The court also jailed him for seven years under section 19 (F) of the same case.

Later, Shahed sought bail by appealing to the High Court against the sentence. The High Court granted him bail on June 7.

On July 6, 2020, Rab raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital. During the operation, fake Covid test reports, and various irregularities including collection of money from patients in the name of Covid treatment were unveiled.

The next day, a case was filed against 17 people at Uttara West Police Station.

On July 15, from the border area of Satkhira, Regent Group and Regent Hospital Chairman Shahed was arrested by RAB. Shahed has been in jail since then. More than 36 cases have been filed against Shahed on allegations of different irregularities.