Marriott’s Le Meridian Dhaka owner sent to jail in embezzlement case
Amin Ahmed, owner of Hotel Le Meridien Dhaka, a local unit of American hotel chain Marriott International, has been denied bail and sent to jail in a case involving the embezzlement of Tk 1.1 billion from scam-hit Basic Bank.
Amin Ahmed surrendered through his lawyer at the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Mohammad As-Shams Jaglul Hossain on Wednesday. Advocate Ehsanul Haque Samaji, Amin Ahmed's lawyer, argued for his bail, while the lawyer for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) opposed the bail plea.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court rejected the bail application and ordered Amin Ahmed to be sent to jail. Advocate Ehsanul Haque Samaji confirmed this information. In this case, on June 30, the Appellate Division directed Amin Ahmed to surrender within seven days.
According to the case statement, Sheikh Abdul Hai Bachchu purchased 30.25 kathas of land for Tk 110 crore. However, two documents mention the land's value as BDT 15.25 crore. Later, Bachchu transferred the land to his wife, Shirin Akhter, and his sons, Sheikh Rafa Hai and Sheikh Sabid Hai Anik. Sheikh Shahriar Panna, owner of BM Computers and Crown Properties, and Amin Ahmed allegedly assisted in the transfer of the land.
In connection with this, ACC Deputy Director Mohammad Nurul Huda filed the case at the 'Dhaka-1 Integrated District Office' on October 2 last year. In May of this year, the investigating officer submitted a charge sheet against six people.
The accused in the charge sheet are former Basic Bank Chairman Sheikh Abdul Hai Bachchu, his wife Shirin Akhter, his brother Sheikh Shahriar Panna, his sons Sheikh Rafa Hai and Sheikh Sabid Hai Anik, and Hotel Le Meridien owner Amin Ahmed.