DSA case: decision on charges against cartoonist Kishore on September 12

A Dhaka tribunal will decide on September 12 whether to accept the charges against cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and six others in a case filed under the Digital Security Act allegedly for spreading rumours and carrying out anti-government activities.

The six others are: Hungary-based entrepreneur Zulkarnain Saer Khan alias Sami, Swedish-Bangladeshi journalist Tasneem Khalil who runs Netra News; Minhaj Mannan Emon, managing director of BLE securities and shareholder-director of Dhaka Stock Exchange; Didarul Islam, a member of politico-civic organisation called Rashtrachinta; Ashik Imran; and Shapan Wahed.

Of them, Kishore, Minhaj and Didarul were earlier arrested and they are now on bail while the rest four are on the run.

Judge Ash Sams Joglul Hossain of Dhaka Cyber Tribunal on Thursday set the date for passing order on acceptance of the charges.

Investigation Officer Md Afchhar Ahmed, a sub-inspector of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of police, on June 13 submitted the supplementary charge sheet with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka.

The IO appealed to the tribunal to issue arrest warrants against Sami, Tasmeem, Ashik and Shapan as they were shown "fugitives" in the charge sheet.

Writer Mushtaq Ahmed's name was dropped from the charge sheet as he died at Kashimpur High Security Jail on February 25.

Moreover, US-based journalist Shahed Alam; Germany-based blogger Asif Mohiuddin and Philip Schuhmacher were dropped from the charges of the case as their involvement was not found.

On May 6 last year, Rab-3's Assistant Director Abu Bakar Siddique filed the case against 11 people, including Kishore, Mushtaq, Didarul and Minhaj with Ramna Police Station under the DSA.

On February 4 this year, Sub-Inspector Md Mohsin Sardar of Ramna Police Station, also the then investigation officer in the case, pressed charges against Kishore, Mushtaq and Didarul, dropping the names of the eight others.