Killing of journo Mantu : SC settles appeal with observations
Sunday, 20 July 2014
The Supreme Court Sunday settled some observations in the appeal filed by Bangladesh Beverage Industries Limited against a High Court judgment on compensation for a journalist who was seriously injured after being hit by a mini-truck of the company and subsequently died at hospital 25 years ago, according to a news agency.
A five-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, passed the order.
Mozammel Hossain Mantu, then news editor of the daily Sangbad, was seriously injured after being hit by a mini truck of Pepsi Cola, a concern of Bangladesh Beverage Industries Limited, at Kakrail in the city on December 3, 1989. He died on December 16 at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital while undergoing treatment.
Emerging from the court, advocate Khalilur Rahman, the counsel for Professor Rawshan Akhter, wife of journalist Mantu, told reporters that the apex court had upheld the legal aspect of the trial court but it would re-fix the compensation amount.
“But it is not possible to say what would be the exact compensation amount until the release of the full text of the judgment,” the counsel said.
The counsel termed a milestone for the establishment of the rule of law the day’s apex court verdict as it is the first ever order asking the owner of the vehicle to pay compensation for the driver’s wrong driving.
The counsel further said following the apex court order, if any serving employee under any institute or official causes harm to any one, the aggrieved person is entitled to sue against the person or institute concerned for seeking remedy.
On May 11 in 2010, the High Court directed Bangladesh Beverage Industries Limited to pay Tk 20.10 million compensation to the wife and two sons of late Mozammel Hossain Mantu. Upholding the trial court order, the HC in its judgment reduced the compensation amount.
On January 1 in 1991, victim Mantu's wife filed a case with a court of joint district judge in Dhaka, seeking Tk 35.2 million compensation from the company.
The court had delivered the verdict in the case on March 20, 2005, directing the company to pay the amount as compensation to the wife and two sons of Mantu.
The company then filed an appeal with the HC, challenging the verdict of the joint district judge's court.