The High Court has issued a contempt rule against the counsel of the prime suspect in the rape of a woman in Noakhali’s Subranachar for misleading the court into granting bail for his client.
On Wednesday (Mar 27), the bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman held lawyer Ashek-e-Rasul of contempt after hearing a petition by the State.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Roy, represented the state in the contempt petition hearing, which the state filed against Rasul on Monday.
Two days before that, the court revoked the one-year interim bail it had granted to prime suspect Ruhul Amin on Mar 18.
It recalled the previous decision after the state realized and proved that the defence lawyer had misled them and the court.
That day, the attorney general said Rasul had informed them that Ruhul’s bail hearing would be held before the bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim.
"But the lawyer held the hearing before Justice Mamnoon Rahman’s bench instead, and secured the bail by concealing Ruhul's confession and the victim's statement.”
Alam then reassured that if all the case information had been produced before the court, the bail petition would not have been granted.
Calling the incident "unprecedented," the attorney general said the whole nation was shocked at the court’s decision of granting bail to Ruhul. "However, I extend my gratitude to the High Court as they promptly took counter measures, even on a weekend.”
If necessary, the bar council and the chief justice will be notified, for action against Rasul, he added.
Former Awami League leader Ruhul Amin was the alleged instigator of the gang rape of a 30-year-old woman in Noakhali's Subarnachar upazila in the early hours of January 1.
The victim and her family have said the brutal crime was committed by 10-15 local Awami League followers of Ruhul, because the victim had cast her vote for a BNP candidate in the last general elections held on December 30, 2018, going against their demand.
Her husband filed the case against nine people at Charjabbar police station.
Police have so far arrested five people, including Ruhul Amin.