SC upholds ex-chief justice Khairul's HC bail, no bar to his release

The Supreme Court today upheld the High Court orders that granted former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque six months’ ad-interim bail in two murder cases filed over incidents during the July uprising.

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, Justice Md Rezaul Haque, passed “no order” on two separate petitions filed by the state seeking a stay on the HC orders of bail.

There is no legal bar for Khairul to be released from jail following the apex court chamber judge's order, his lawyer, Md Motaher Hossain Sazu, told The Daily Star.

The lawyer, however, said the government has recently submitted a petition to the lower court concerned seeking permission to show Khairul arrested in a criminal case.

The lower court is scheduled to hold a hearing and pass an order on the petition on May 23, Advocate Motaher added.

Deputy Attorney General Syeda Shajia Sharmin represented the state while lawyer Motaher Hossain Sazu appeared for Khairul Haque during hearing on the state's petitions before the SC Chamber judge's court today.

On May 12, the HC granted ad-interim bail for six months to Khairul and also issued two separate rules asking the state to explain why he should not be granted permanent bail in the cases.

One case, filed with Jatrabari Police Station, accuses him in connection with the killing of Arif, while the other, filed with Adabor Police Station, concerns the killing of Rubel during the uprising, said Advocate Md Motaher.

Khairul was arrested at his Dhanmondi residence in Dhaka on July 24, 2025, nearly a year after the fall of the Awami League government.

He was later shown arrested in multiple cases, including several filed over killings during the July movement, and has remained in jail since then.

On April 28, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld earlier HC orders granting him bail in five other cases.