Mujaheed did not surrender to court as deadline ends
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed did not turn himself in to the trial court Monday, a day after the High Court (HC) deadline for surrender expired, reports bdnews24.com.
The failure prompted state counsels to accuse the Jamaat stalwart of showing flagrant disregard for the court by disobeying the orders.
Mujaheed appealed for bail at the HC in Boropukuria coal mine graft case on Oct 19 but the court had rejected his appeal and asked him to surrender in two weeks to the Special Judge's Court-2 where the trial was pending.
His lawyer told the court that Mujaheed had already pleaded with the HC for more time to surrender. Besides, another petition for staying the proceedings against him has been pending.
Special Judge, Amar Kumar Roy, instructed Mujaheed's lawyer to produce the copies of HC orders on Nov 10 and adjourned the day's hearing.
The judge set Monday for hearing the case after the state counsels filed a petition to his court on Oct 29 to issue warrant of arrest against Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and Mujaheed.
State attorney Mosharraf Hossain Kajol told the court, "By disobeying the court orders Mujaheed has disregarded the court of law."
He appealed for warrant of arrest against the Jamaat secretary general.
Mujaheed's lawyer Abdur Razzak urged the court not to issue the warrant as hearing on his appeal was going on in the HC.
"It is a sub-judice matter," said the special judge amid protests from the state counsels.
The counsels argued that Mujaheed did not care to turn himself in despite the HC orders. Now he showed up in the court a day after the deadline for surrender to say that he had gone to the HC to seek extension of the no-arrest, no-harassment order and a stay on the case.
So, they said, it could not be a sub-judice matter. The special court also fixed Nov 10 for hearing the appeal for warrant against Nizami. The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) on Feb 26 registered the case with Shahbagh Police Station against 16, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia and 10 of her cabinet members. They were charge-sheeted on Oct 5.
The failure prompted state counsels to accuse the Jamaat stalwart of showing flagrant disregard for the court by disobeying the orders.
Mujaheed appealed for bail at the HC in Boropukuria coal mine graft case on Oct 19 but the court had rejected his appeal and asked him to surrender in two weeks to the Special Judge's Court-2 where the trial was pending.
His lawyer told the court that Mujaheed had already pleaded with the HC for more time to surrender. Besides, another petition for staying the proceedings against him has been pending.
Special Judge, Amar Kumar Roy, instructed Mujaheed's lawyer to produce the copies of HC orders on Nov 10 and adjourned the day's hearing.
The judge set Monday for hearing the case after the state counsels filed a petition to his court on Oct 29 to issue warrant of arrest against Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and Mujaheed.
State attorney Mosharraf Hossain Kajol told the court, "By disobeying the court orders Mujaheed has disregarded the court of law."
He appealed for warrant of arrest against the Jamaat secretary general.
Mujaheed's lawyer Abdur Razzak urged the court not to issue the warrant as hearing on his appeal was going on in the HC.
"It is a sub-judice matter," said the special judge amid protests from the state counsels.
The counsels argued that Mujaheed did not care to turn himself in despite the HC orders. Now he showed up in the court a day after the deadline for surrender to say that he had gone to the HC to seek extension of the no-arrest, no-harassment order and a stay on the case.
So, they said, it could not be a sub-judice matter. The special court also fixed Nov 10 for hearing the appeal for warrant against Nizami. The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) on Feb 26 registered the case with Shahbagh Police Station against 16, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia and 10 of her cabinet members. They were charge-sheeted on Oct 5.