Sixteen years ago, over Tk 9.4 million was stolen from the corporate branch of Janata Bank in Faridpur. In the criminal case filed over the theft, the bank’s then security guard, Paresh Chandra Das, was acquitted by the High Court last year. Tragically, however, he had already died before the court finally cleared his name.

In a related civil suit filed by Janata Bank authorities to recover the money, the High Court on 3 February dismissed the bank’s first appeal and ordered it to pay Tk 50,000 in compensatory costs for the harassment and suffering inflicted on the defendants—Paresh’s family. The court directed that the entire amount be paid to his surviving family members.

Court records show that on the night of 19 February 2010, Tk 9,419,590 was stolen from the vault of Janata Bank’s Faridpur Corporate Branch. Paresh was 50 years old at the time and was working as a security guard. The following day, the branch manager filed a case with Kotwali police station in Faridpur. Paresh was arrested in connection with the theft but was later released on bail.