Court orders arrest of former Somoy TV MD Ahmed Jobayer in embezzlement case
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A Dhaka court on Monday ordered the formal arrest of Ahmed Jobayer, the former managing director of the private television channel Somoy TV, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of 23.3 million taka. Metropolitan Magistrate Israt Jahan denied Jobayer’s bail plea and ordered him to be held in custody following a hearing at the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
The proceedings followed a petition by the investigation officer requesting that Jobayer be formally arrested in the case. While defense counsel Farhad Hossain Niyon opposed the motion, arguing that the charges stemmed from an outdated dispute, the court sided with the prosecution’s request to proceed with the arrest.
According to court documents, the case was initiated on May 5, 2025, by Syed Asaduzzaman, a senior manager at Somoy TV. The allegations contend that during his tenure, Jobayer irregularly withdrew 23.3 million taka from the station’s funds. Following his removal from the position, the media outlet’s parent company, City Group, demanded the return of the funds and two company vehicles. Jobayer allegedly refused to comply, prompting City Group to issue a formal legal notice that went unanswered.
The case was subsequently investigated by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), which submitted a report to the court. Defense attorney Saleh Uddin claimed the charges were politically motivated, asserting that the lawsuit was filed primarily to damage his client’s reputation.
Jobayer has remained incarcerated since June 18 of last year in connection with a separate case involving charges of fraud, breach of trust, and forgery. In that instance, a warrant was issued after he failed to comply with a court summons, leading to his surrender and subsequent detention after multiple failed bail attempts.
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