Sec 54 to be amended after receipt of SC full verdict
Says law minister adding judge to face departmental proceedings over wrongful imprisonment of Bhola man who is released from jail
Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said departmental proceedings would be initiated against the judge concerned of a Bhola court, who had "wrongly" convicted a rape case accused 12 years ago.
The judge will be tried for failing in discharging duty, he told reporters after attending a programme at Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital.
He distributed certificates among sub-registrars who completed a training course.
On May 25, the HC released the full verdict directing the government to pay Tk 50 lakh in compensation to Abdul Jalil of Char Fashion in Bhola, who was wrongly jailed for life for a rape that took place in 2001. At 15, Jalil was tried in a wrong court and under a wrong law.
The HC also scrapped the life sentence of Jalil, and ordered his immediate release if he is not accused in any other case.
On December 15 last year, the HC had delivered the short verdict, following a jail appeal by Jalil challenging the life sentence he was given by the lower court. Jalil has been released from prison, reported our Jhalakathi correspondent.
Replying to a question, Anisul Huq said after receiving the full text of the SC verdict, the government would amend Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1898, under which police arrest a person on suspicion.
On May 24, the SC upheld a High Court verdict that put restriction on arrests on suspicion under Section 54 and outlined some recommendations for making changes to relevant provisions.
The law minister also said the government had taken steps to formulate a law for appointing judges to the HC, which would come into effect within the next year.