Partial hearing on petition of Salam Pintu completed

A court in the city Thursday completed partial hearing on discharge petition of former deputy minister of BNP Abdus Salam Pintu, an accused in the first charge-sheets of August 21, 2004 grenade attack cases, reports BSS. After completion of hearing of the discharge petition of Pintu, Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 fixed November 22 for next hearing on charge framing against 30 persons, including BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, implicated in the supplementary charge-sheets of August 21 grenade attack cases. Pintu submitted himself to the court that he was not involved in the plot of grenade attacks rather he was the victim of conspiracy and sought exemptions. His lawyer Advocate Rafiqul Islam also claimed him innocent. In his submission, State Counsel Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman told the court that Pintu was indicted in the first charge-sheet and they had enough evidence to prove his (Pintu's) involvement in the gruesome attacks. The court earlier completed hearing on discharge petitions of former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, former inspector general of police (IGP) Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's nephew Saiful Islam Duke, and Jama'at-e-Islami leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Maulana Abu Taher, Brig Gen (Retd) Abdur Rahim and Arif Hasan Suman. The detained 31 charge-sheeted accused in the cases including Babar and Mojaheed were produced before the court while Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Ward Councillor and BNP leader Ariful Islam Arif, now on bail, was also present in the court.