Pintu's counsel completes arguments
Counsels of detained former BNP lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu yesterday completed arguments on the discharge petition in connection with the grenade attack case on an Awami League (AL) rally in 2004.
After completing the hearing, Judge Mohammad Masdar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 fixed tomorrow for citing of legal points whether charges will be framed against the accused or not.
Earlier on October 23, the prosecution completed hearing on charge framing against 22 accused, including Pintu and Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan.
Defence lawyers for Mufti Hannan and 12 others, now in jail, also completed hearing on their discharge petitions the same day. But Pintu's lawyers submitted a petition seeking adjournment of the charge hearing.
During yesterday's hearing, Pintu's lawyers told the court that their client was implicated in the case on the basis of confessional statements given by Hannan.
In the confessional statement, Hannan had told the magistrate that there was a meeting at Pintu's Dhanmondi government quarters residence before the grenade attack.
Pintu's lawyers argued that there was no legal basis of Hannan's confession and their client should be discharged from the case.
The court then asked the prosecution lawyers to explain on what legal basis charges would be framed against Pintu and others. The prosecution lawyers gave a short explanation on the issue but the court set a new date for an elaborate explanation on the issue.
The case was filed for a grenade attack on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004, which left 24 people dead and 200 others injured.
Of the accused, Pintu, Mufti Hannan, his brother Mohibullah alias Mafizur Rahman, and 11 others are now in jail. They were produced in the court yesterday.
Pintu's brother Maulana Tajuddin, Liton, Anisul Mursalin, Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader,Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman have been on the run since the indictment.
On June 11 this year, Assistant Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Fazlul Kabir, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted charge sheets to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka, showing 412 people as prosecution witnesses.
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