Law Week
Hearing on charge framing against Babar adjourned
A Dhaka court on April 27 adjourned till June 9 the hearing on charge framing against detained former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar in a tax evasion case filed last year. Judge (in-charge) Mohammad Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge Court-5 passed the order after Babar's lawyer submitted a petition seeking adjournment of the hearing. The HC then issued a rule upon the government asking explanation why the proceeding of the case would not be declared illegal. Saying that the rule hearing is now pending, Babar's lawyer prayed for an adjournment. Earlier, National Board of Revenue (NBR) on February 14 last year filed the case against Babar for dodging Tk 2.65 crore income tax from 1999-2000 to 2008-09.-The Daily star April 28 2011.
Fatwa doesn't have any legal force
Eminent jurists Rafique-ul Huq and Dr M Zahir on 25 April told the Supreme Court that fatwa (religious edict) is a kind of opinion without any legal force. They said this while offering expert opinions as amici curiae (friends of court) to the Appellate Division during the hearing of an appeal against a High Court verdict that had declared fatwa illegal. Senior counsel TH Khan, another amicus curiae, favoured the appeal saying fatwa should not be declared outright as good or bad. A six-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, continued the hearing of the appeal. Earlier, the apex court started hearing the appeal on March 1 this year.- The Daily star April 26 2011.
Double Murder, Three more arrested
Police arrested three accused persons from Sudharam of Noakhali on 24 Aprilon charge of double murder in Hamidchar area under Chandgaon Police Station in Chittagong.
Mentionable, on April 17, a group of Hamidchar's residents locked in a clash with a groupfrom Bolihat area over occupying a piece of land at Hamidchar to breed fish fries. Two people died and 15 others were injured in the half hour-long clash, said police.
Sub-Inspector Abul Kalam Azad of Chandgaon Police Station said the arrestees confessed to the murder and informed police of two firearms and two machetes kept at Hamidchar area, which were recovered.-The Daily star April 26 2011.
Case Against Koko, IO seizes docs
from tele office
A prosecution witnesson April 25 told a Dhaka court that the investigation officer of the money laundering case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, had seized some documents from the telephone office relating to Siemens Bangladesh Ltd. The accused had allegedly laundered money they received from China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd and Siemens for helping them win government contracts. An assistant director of telephone department in Dhaka office, Abu Bakar Siddique, in his deposition, said the ACC officer went his office at Revenue Bhaban on April 22 of 2009 and made a seizure list of the documents from the office relating to the siemens. He also put his signature on the seizure list the same day. Judge Mohammad Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge Court-3 recorded statements of the witnesses and fixed May 10 for the next hearing of the case.- The Daily star April 26 2011.
Russell Killing Case, Prime accused
gives confessional statement
Jotirmoy Sarkar Joy, the main accused in Mahbub Alam Russell killing case, gave confessional statement before the Judicial Magistrate's Court in Natore on 24 April.
In the statement, Joy said his friend Sabbir Hossain planned the murder of Russell a few months ago and discussed it with him, but he refused to kill Russel then. Meantime, Russell pressed Sabbir and Joy to return the money (Tk 4.5 lakh) he lent the two. At one stage, Joy agreed to murder Russell and fixed April 4 for the killing. Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and police recovered the decomposed body of Russell, 24, behind a bush near Charu Mama's canteen on April 22.- The Daily star April 26 2011.
Aug 21 Probe, CID given 9th time extension
A Dhaka court on April 24 extended until May 22 the time for further investigation into one of the two cases in connection with the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004. With this, the Criminal Investigation Department has been given 20 months' time in nine phases to complete the investigation into the case filed for killing 23 people including AL leader Ivy Rahman and injuring scores in the attack. Judge Fozila Begum of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order following a time petition by CID's Special Superintendent of Police Abdul Kahar Akand, the investigation officer (IO) of the case. - The Daily star April 25 2011.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear reader,
You may send us your daily life legal problems inclu- ding family, financial, land or any other issues. Legal experts will answer those. Please send your mails, queries, and opinions to:
Law Desk,
19 Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215; telephone: 8124944,8124955, fax 8125155; email: dslawdesk@yahoo.co.uk, lawdesk@thedailystar.net
