Journo Kajol: Cops press charges in case filed under DSA

A Dhaka tribunal yesterday took into cognisance charges pressed against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol "for publishing indecent, defamatory, objectionable and fake information" about ministers, lawmakers, and Jubo Mahila League leaders on Facebook.

The Cyber Tribunal will hold a hearing on charge framing against Kajol on April 22, Shamim Al Mamun, bench assistant of the tribunal, told The Daily Star.

Earlier in the day, the tribunal granted Kajol's bail in the case.

Usmin Ara Beli, a member of the central committee of Bangladesh Jubo Mahila League, a wing of the ruling Awami League, had filed the case with Hazaribagh Police Station on March 10 last year under the Digital Security Act.

DB's investigation officer Sub-Inspector Mohammad Russell Mollah took 10 months to investigate and presented the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka on January 27.

According to the charge sheet, Kajol published fake news on his Facebook page regarding the arrest and alleged crimes of expelled Jubo Mahila League leader Shamima Nur Papia, who was picked up by Rapid Action Battalion for her alleged involvement in different crimes.

Kajol was shown arrested in the case on May 14 last year. On June 28, he was placed on a two-day remand.

He faced 53 days of "enforced disappearance" and spent seven months in prison. He had disappeared on March 10 last year and was "found" by the Border Guard Bangladesh roaming around the Benapole border 53 days later.

He then landed in jail in a case filed under the DSA by lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shikhor, and two Jubo Mahila League activists over a Facebook post.

Kajol was released from the Dhaka Central Jail on bail on December 25 last year.