The High Court on Wednesday ordered the Brac Bank authorities to pay Tk 15 lakh as compensation within a month to jute mill worker Jahalam, who languished in jail for three years instead of real accused in 26 cases filed for embezzlement of bank money.

The virtual High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan and Justice KM Kamrul Quader passed the order.

Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan moved for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the court hearing, Lawyer Anisul Hasan for Brac Bank, and lawyer Sheikh Zakir Hossain for Sonali Bank. 

The court was organically scheduled to issue the verdict on Tuesday and deferred the date on Wednesday.

Earlier, the court kept the issue as case awaiting verdict (CAV), completing hearing on rule on February 12.    

Hailing from Tangail, Jahlam languished in jail for three years in 33 cases instead of real culprit Abu Salek, who was involved in embezzlement of Tk 18 crore from Sonali Bank.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was first to hold an investigation into confinement of Jahalam and disclosed his innocence.

The HC took cognizance of the matter following a newspaper report that innocent suffers due to faults of other.

The High Court passed a suo moto order following the newspaper report. Lawyer Amit Das Gupta drew the court’s attention to the news item.

Jahalam was enlarged on bail granted by the apex court on February 3.

BDST: 1955 HRS, SEP 30, 2020
AP