Actor Zaher Alvi has secured bail in a case over the alleged instigation of his wife Afra Ivnath Khan Ikra’s suicide, but he remains in jail due to a stay order from the Appellate Division.
Alvi cannot be released despite a High Court bail order as the higher court has stayed his release.
The Dhaka Central Jail authorities informed the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Dhaka of the matter in a letter sent on 7 August.
According to the letter, the court’s release order reached the jail authorities on 6 August. However, a letter informing them of the Appellate Division’s stay on the bail order had already been received by email on 4 August.
The stay followed a state petition challenging the High Court’s bail order. The letter was signed by state lawyer Nur Jahan Begum, an advocate-on-record.
As a result, the jail authorities said they could not release Alvi in the case despite receiving the release order.
A High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher granted Alvi bail on 3 August.
Alvi had moved the High Court after a lower court rejected his bail petition. The High Court initially issued a rule on his bail plea and later made the rule absolute, granting him bail.
Senior lawyer Zainul Abedin and lawyer Sheikh Rafiqul Islam appeared for Alvi, while Deputy Attorney General Syeda Sajia Sharmin represented the state.
According to case documents, Ikra’s body was recovered from a residence in Mirpur DOHS on 28 February.
Alvi surrendered before a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate court on 18 June in the case filed over the alleged abetment of his wife’s suicide.
The court rejected his bail plea and ordered that he be sent to jail.
The investigating officer later sought a seven-day remand for Alvi on 21 June to facilitate the investigation.
Following a hearing, the court granted a two-day remand on 24 June.
