Janakantha editor, executive ed fined Tk10,000 for contempt of court

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday fined Janakantha Editor Atikullah Khan Masud and its Executive Editor Shawdesh Roy Tk10,000 on contempt of court charges. A six-member bench of the Appellate Division (AD) of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha delivering its order in the morning after conclusion of hearing on the rule. On Monday, the 6-member AD bench fixed August 13 for delivering its order. On July 29, the SC, in a suo moto move, asked Khan and Roy to explain why they should not be prosecuted for publishing a ‘contemptuous’ article headlined ‘Activities of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury Family: Escape Route Narrows’ on July 16.
The apex court also asked them to appear before it on August 3 to explain their position on the issue. Later, the court fixed August 9 for hearing on the contempt rule. But on August 9, a four-member bench of the apex court led by the chief justice formed a larger bench following a petition by the defence, according to a news agency.
- mbz