SC show-causes official over 7-month delay in forwarding HC order
The Supreme Court administration has issued a show-cause notice on an official, over a seven-month delay in sending a High Court order for finishing the trial of sensational Ishtiaq Ahmed Jonny murder case, to the lower court concerned.
“A show-cause notice has been issued on a superintendent of the criminal miscellaneous section of the High Court Division, over the delay in sending its [HC] order to the trial court concerned. The High Court order was sent few days ago to the trial court,” Mohammad Saifur Rahman, spokesperson of the SC, told The Daily Star yesterday.
He refused to disclose the name of the person to whom the notice was served, and directed this correspondent to HC Assistant Registrar Kazi Arafat Uddin, who signed the show-cause notice.
Contacted, Kazi Arafat also refused to disclose the name of the official. “The notice was issued on Wednesday asking the respondent to explain in seven days why the delay was made.
After receiving his reply, authorities concerned will take the next course of action,” he said.
When this correspondent went to the criminal miscellaneous section of the HC to inquire, its chief Md Mujibur Rahman said they are hamstrung by manpower and office space shortage.
“I have heard that a show-cause-notice was issued, But I have not received any. If I get the notice, I will reply to it,” Mujibur Rahman said.
“Around 70,000 files are pending with this section. Many disposal and extension orders delivered by the High Court even around two to two and half years back are still pending with this office. We have verbally requested the higher authorities concerned to solve the problems several times, but they did not take any step in this regard,” he added.
On February 27, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman cleared way for the lower court concerned to resume trial against all accused including two suspended police officers in connection with Ishtiaq Ahmed Jonny murder case, filed in 2014.
The suspended police officers are then assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) of Pallabi Police Station Md Kamruzzaman Minto and Rashedul Hassan.
The bench also ordered the trial court to finish the proceedings within 180 days, as per Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013.
According to the case statement, in February 2014, Jonny, his brother Imtiaz Hassan Rocky and three others were detained at Irani camp in Pallabi by a team of Pallabi police, led by SI Jahidur Rahman Khan. Jonny, 28, was allegedly tortured to death in police custody. His brother Rocky filed a murder case against nine persons, including SI Jahidur on August 7, 2014.
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