HC orders E-Orange, Dalal Plus to refund money to customers

High Court

Jehangir Hussain

The High Court Division on Wednesday in a rule asked the authorities to explain why they should not be directed to refund to 42 customers about Tk 3.44 crore, they had paid to E-Orange and bought various products from the e-commerce company.

Following a writ petition, a bench of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Biswajit Debnath issued the rule.

E-Orange did not supply the products to the 42 customers for which they had paid about Tk 3.44 crore at different times in 2021.

Later, the aggrieved customers filed the writ.

The respondents include Commerce Secretary, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Bangladesh Bank Governor, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) Chief, Inspector General of Police, E-orange owner Sonia Mehzabin, sister of Banani police inspector (investigation) Sheikh Sohel Rana, her husband Masukur Rahman, and Sohel's supposed wife, Naznin Nahar Bithi, another owner of E-Orange.

E-Orange owner Sonia Mehzabin, sister of Banani police inspector (investigation) Sheikh Sohel Rana, her husband Masukur Rahman, and Sohel's supposed wife, Naznin Nahar Bithi, another owner of the company, allegedly gobbled up around Tk1,100 crore paid by customers in advance  without delivering products to them, according to the case document.

According to the investigation report, Tk 349 crore was withdrawn from two bank accounts of E-orange, but there is no clue where the money has gone.

It is suspected that the money has been laundered.

Several agencies are investigating the issue.

The owner of the company, Sonia Mehzabin, and her husband Masukur Rahman, are now in jail in a case filed against them for embezzling Tk1,100 crore from customers.

Lawyer Sayem Ali Pathan appeared for the aggrieved petitioners.

The same bench issued another  rule on Wednesday asking the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to refund Tk 9.57 crore to 42 customers, who had paid the money to Dalal Plus, another e-commerce company to buy various products but did not get them.

Advocate ASM Sayem Ali Pathan appeared for the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.

The respondents include, Commerce Secretary, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Bangladesh Bank Governor, BFIU Chief, Inspector General of Police, SLL Commerce and Surya Pay Managing Director, Dalal Plus Chairman Saleh Uddin Murad, Managing Director Md. Azizul Haque and director Abu Zubair Hussain Rabbi.

From June to September 2021, Tk 9.57 crore was paid by 42 customers to Dalal Plus to buy various products.

As the products were not delivered, the customers jointly filed the writ petition.

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