Trial of three cases against journalist Kajol stayed

 

Live Correspondent: The High Court (HC) has stayed for two months the trial proceedings of three cases filed against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol under the Digital Security Act (DSA).

The HC bench of Justice ASM Abdul Mobin and Justice Md Atowar Rahman passed the order after hearing on Kajol's petition.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared for Kajol and deputy attorney general Sujit Chatterjee represented the state. At the same time, the HC sought all the documents of these cases from the lower court.

The High Court also fixed July 28 for hearing on these appeals. On February 1, Barrister Jyotirmoy filed the petition with the High Court seeking a stay on the framing of charges against Kajol in the three DSA cases.

On November 8 last year, the Cyber Tribunal in Dhaka framed charges against Kajol in three cases filed under the DSA.

Kajol went missing on March 10, 2020, a day after Magura-1 Awami League MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor filed a case against him and 31 others, including Manab Zamin editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury.

They were sued under the act for publishing and sharing an article on various social media platforms about expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia.

Two other cases were filed against Kajol at Hazaribagh and Kamrangir Char police stations, respectively, under the DSA on March 10 and 11 last year by Jubo Mohila League central committee member Osman Ara Belly and Sumaiya Chowdhury Bannya.

Investigation officer of the cases and detective branch's sub-inspector Mohammad Rasel Molla submitted chargesheets in three cases to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court in Dhaka on February 4, April 4 and March 14 in 2020.

Allegations of spreading indecent, degrading, objectionable and fake information were brought against Kajol in the cases against him about the ministers, MPs and top leaders of Jubo Mohila League.

After his 53 days of disappearance, Kajol was detained by Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) near the Benapole border on May 3, 2020, and produced in a Jashore court the same day. Later, he was shown arrested in the cases filed under the DSA.

Although the court granted him bail in the cases, he was sent to jail as the Kotwali police brought another charge against him under Section 54 of CrPC.

On November 24, 2020, the photojournalist secured bail in another case filed against him under the DSA. On December 17 that year, the High Court granted him bail in the remaining two cases filed under the DSA, clearing the way for his release.

He was freed from Dhaka Central Jail on December 25, 2020 after remaining in jail for seven months.

Dhaka, 01 June (campuslive24.com)//BIT

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