SC upholds stay of Fakhrul’s trial

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the High Court orders that stayed trial proceedings against BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in two cases filed in 2012 and  2013 over vandalism and arson.

The Appellate Division of the SC, however, asked the HC to hold hearing and dispose of the rules issued in connection with the cases.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain came up with the orders after virtually hearing two separate leave to appeal petitions filed by the state challenging the HC orders.

Following two petitions filed by Fakhrul, the HC on November 7, 2017 stayed the trial proceedings against him in two cases lodged with Sher-E-Bangla Nagar and Ramna Police Stations in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

The HC also issued two rules asking the state to explain why the case proceedings should not be scrapped.

Yesterday, Sagir Hossain Leon, a lawyer for Fakhrul, told The Daily Star that his client is accused in total 86 vandalism, arson and defamation cases, which were filed from political purpose.

Fakhrul is now on bail in all the cases filed against him.

Additional Attorney General Momtaz Uddin Fakir represented the state while lawyer Zainul Abedin appeared for Fakhrul.