Dhaka: The High Court on Thursday granted bail to three owners of Apan Jewellers in three money laundering cases.

The owners are Dildar Ahmed, Gulzar Ahmed and Azad Ahmed.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim passed the order after the final hearing on three cases.

On November 22 last, the High Court issued five separate rules in five money laundering cases filed against them.

The three owners were sent to jail on expiry of their one-day remand on November 6.

Besides, the court today set January 26 for hearing on two other cases.

Now, there is no legal bar to Gulzar and Azad’s release from jail, said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.

He, however, said Dilder will not be released as he has two bail petitions in two other cases for hearing.

On August 12, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) filed five cases against the three owners of Apan Jewellers after 15 maunds of illegal gold and some diamond jewellery were recovered from its branches.

Five CIID assistant revenue officers filed the cases with Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Ramna and Uttara police stations following the directives of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

The Apan Jewellers’ owners came in the limelight after the rape of two private university girls by Shafat Ahmed, son of Dildar Ahmed, and his cohort in a Banani hotel.

One of the rape victims filed a case with Banani Police Station on May 6 last accusing five people, including Shafat.