Janatar Mancha sedition case withdrawn
The government yesterday withdrew the Janatar Mancha sedition case filed against Awami League (AL) lawmaker and former state minister for planning Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and seven other bigwigs in April 2002.
After taking power, AL government decided to withdraw several cases filed by the BNP-led four party alliance government to harass them politically.
Earlier, the home ministry sent a letter to Dhaka metropolitan public prosecutor asking for taking steps for withdrawal of the case. But the case was not withdrawn as the High Court (HC) had earlier stayed the proceedings of the case.
Judge Fazila Begum of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka passed the order following a petition submitted by Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu. The court also discharged all the eight accused from the charges.
In the letter of January 27, Deputy Secretary (Law) of Home Ministry Mohammad Sujayet Ullah said the government has decided not to proceed with the case.
The then public prosecutor Ehsanul Haq Samaji after receiving the letter informed the home ministry that the HC had earlier stayed the proceedings of the case following separate writ petitions filed by Dr Alamgir and others.
Stay order on the case was vacated following the prosecution had submitted a non-prosecution petition with the HC.
The seven others who were made accused in the case are former home secretary and election commissioner Shafiur Rahman, former students relationship officer of education ministry Abu Alam Shahid Khan, former joint secretary of the women affairs ministry Sirajuddin Ahmed, former assistant secretary of establishment ministry Rabiul Alam Mohammad Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, former director of narcotics control department Syed Bazlul Karim, former DIG of police Prokriti Ranjan Chanda and former president of the Secretariat Karmachari Sanjukta Parishad Syed Mohiuddin.
Seven accused, including Dr Alamgir, were granted bails from different courts while Prokriti Ranjan Chanda went into hiding.
Mohammad Saifur Rahman, the then officer-in-charge of Ramna police station filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka on April 8, 2002 accusing Dr Alamgir and six others.
The CID on December 26, 2002 pressed charges against Alamgir and seven others. Prokriti Chanda was first time included in the charge sheet.
The complainant in the case says the accused had set up the Janatar Mancha (people's dais) in front of the National Press Club in March 1996 and instigated government officials and employees to join the agitation to dislodge the then BNP government.
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