Journo Kajol Probe: HC unhappy with cyber tribunal, IO over delays

The High Court yesterday expressed grave dissatisfaction that neither the investigation officer nor the cyber tribunal has explained the delay in concluding investigations into two cases filed against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol under the Digital Security Act.

The court had sought explanation in this regard three weeks ago.

Neither the investigation officer nor the cyber tribunal has submitted any report to the HC on whether the investigation officer has taken permission from the cyber tribunal to probe the cases more than 75 days after they were filed, which the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman termed very unfortunate.

Justice Enayetur Rahim said the investigation officer, who appeared before the court on November 24, was asked to appear before it again with the explanation yesterday.

However, he neither appeared nor submitted the explanation before this court, the judge said during the hearing of two bail petitions filed by accused Shafiqul Islam Kajol in connection with the cases.

The HC bench asked the IO to appear before it tomorrow to give the explanation. It also fixed tomorrow for hearing of the bail petitions and asked Deputy Attorney General Sarwar Hossain Bappi to communicate to the IO so that he appears before it on that day.

Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua appeared for photojournalist Kajol during virtual hearing on the bail petitions yesterday.

On November 24, the same HC bench granted bail to Shafiqul Islam Kajol in a case filed under the Digital Security Act. However, Kajol could not be released from jail following the verdict as he is arrested in two other cases.

On the same day, the bench also asked the investigation officer of the cases lodged against Kajol with Hazaribagh and Kamrangirchar police stations whether he has taken permission from the cyber tribunal to probe the cases after 75 days of filing of the cases.

The investigation officer and the tribunal had then been ordered to submit separate reports to the HC by December 15.

The HC bench passed the order after Jyotirmoy told the court that the investigations into the two cases were illegal as the probes had to be concluded within 75 days of the cases being filed.

The investigation officer has not completed investigations of the cases in 75 days, which is a violation of the relevant provision of the law, Jyotirmoy argued.

Two cases under the Digital Security Act were filed against Kajol on March 10 and 11 with Hazaribagh and Kamrangirchar police stations.

Fifty-three days following his disappearance after leaving his office in the capital's Hatirpool, Kajol was found by Border Guard Bangladesh in Benapole on May 3.

He was then arrested, initially on charges of trespassing, but was granted bail after being produced before a Jashore court.

Later, he was shown held under section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) after police informed court that three more cases against Kajol were filed with different police stations in the capital.

The court then sent him to Jashore jail.