Pinaki Bhattacharya sued under DSA

Writer and online activist Pinaki Bhattacharya has been sued under Digital Security Act on charges of conspiracy and tarnishing the image of the state.

KM Abdullahill Maruf, sub-inspector of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, filed the case against Pinaki and two others with Ramna Police Station on October 15 this year. The matter came to light today.

The two other accused are -- Mofizur Rahman and Mushfiqul Fazal Ansari.

Following the case, police arrested Mofizur and he is in jail now while Mushfiqul is absconding.

Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (DC) of Media and Public Relations Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that Pinaki has been spreading anti-government propaganda staying in France.

"We are trying to get his address in France. If the full address is found, we will seek Interpol's assistance to bring him back to the country," he added.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), a Facebook post came to the notice of the CTTC on October 14. Through the post, distorted information about police were allegedly spread in social media about an operation conducted by police in Mirpur.

On October 15, police arrested Mofizur from his Pallabi house in connection with the Facebook post. Later, police seized Mofizur's two phones, said police.

Police said Mofizur contacted different people with his Facebook messenger. Pinaki and Mushfiqul were contacted.

Later, Mofizur was interrogated by the CTTC unit on a two-day remand.

Mahmudul Hasan, deputy commissioner of CTTC unit's intelligence analysis wing, told The Daily Star that they have sent the seized phones for forensic examination.

"We have found that Pinaki responded in the messenger after Mofizur sent the distorted message to him, so the charges were brought against him," he said.

In December last year, Nazrul Islam, president of the All European Awami League, lodged a complaint against Pinaki with a law enforcement agency in France.