Take action against Ali for 'misconduct'

The Chief Prosecutor Office of the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday wrote to the law ministry seeking "necessary actions" against prosecutor Mohammad Ali for "breaching discipline and code of conduct, and serious professional misconduct".

A letter signed by Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arieff Tipoo to this effect was sent to the law minister and the law secretary around 3:00pm yesterday, Prosecutor Zead Al Malum told The Daily Star.

Copies of the letter were sent to the attorney general and the Tribunal registrar, he said.

This newspaper has obtained a copy of the letter.

Earlier on February 4, the Chief Prosecutor Office withdrew Ali until further notice from all the war crimes cases he was dealing with. The order stated that this was done "in the public interest".

Yesterday's letter, however, said Ali had recently "disobeyed" his assigned duties and "exerted illegal influence for securing bail for an accused in a case pending with the Tribunal".

Though the accused was not named in the letter, several prosecutors say it was Jatiya Party lawmaker MA Hannan, arrested last year for his alleged crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

The Tribunal, however, denied him bail on February 4.

The letter says Ali was appointed and was discharging his duty under the provisions of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act-1973.

But by trying to secure bail for the accused, Ali "breached the discipline and code of conduct" and "committed serious offence of professional misconduct," it adds.

So effective actions should be taken against him "for the sake of public interest" and "for protecting the image of the prosecution", the latter says.

Contacted at 6:07pm yesterday, Law Minister Anisul Huq said, "The letter is yet to reach [me]. I will look into the matter once it reaches [me]."

Mohammad Ali, meanwhile, has denied all the allegations brought against him.

"I did not do anything that warrant legal actions against me. I did not breach the code of the conduct," he said yesterday.

The prosecutor on February 10 had told The Daily Star, "I have not decided yet but I am thinking of resigning. I will take the decision after talking with the higher authorities."

Ali, however, made a U-turn yesterday and said: "Why should I resign? What have I done that I have to resign?"

"A group of prosecutors have raised the allegations [against me] simply out of professional jealousy," he claimed.