Defence claims criminal conspiracy charges against Babar false

The defence lawyer for former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar yesterday told a Dhaka court that the charges of criminal conspiracy brought against his client were false.

Advocate SM Shahjahan made the plea while placing arguments on points of law for over two hours at the special court set up adjacent to Dhaka Old Central Jail.

During yesterday's hearing, Shahjahan said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) did not include his client's name while submitting the first charge sheets against 22 people, including former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu.

But later CID included Babar's name in the supplementary charge sheets on the basis of second confessional statements given by Huji leader Mufti Abdul Hannan.

Moreover, the charges of holding meetings with militants at Hawa Bhaban and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu's Dhanmondi residence were not proved.

As Shahjahan could not complete placing arguments on points of law in support of acquitting his client from the charges, Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 in Dhaka adjourned the hearing till today.

Earlier on August 29, the defence of all 49 accused in the August 21 grenade attack case finally completed their closing arguments.

The prosecution and the defence took 113 working days to complete the arguments which started from October 23 last year.

A total of 225 prosecution witnesses and 20 defence witnesses testified during the proceedings.

On August 21, 2004, a grenade attack killed 24 leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies and injured over 300 others.

Ivy Rahman, the then Mohila Awami League president, was among the deceased.

Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped with an ear injury.

Two cases -- one for murder and another under the Explosive Substances Act -- were filed with Motijheel Police Station.

In March 2012, the tribunal framed charges against the accused in the two cases.

Of the 49 accused, eight, including three former inspector generals of police, are now on bail; 18, including BNP Senior Vice Chairman [currently acting chief] Tarique Rahman, are on the run; and 23, including Babar and Pintu, are in jail.