Ex-chief justice Khairul sent to jail

 
A Dhaka court has ordered former chief justice and former Law Commission chairman ABM Khairul Hauque into jail pending trial in a case over the murder of a Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal activist during the July Uprising.

On Thursday night, Dhaka's Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaullah issued the order after hearing arguments from both sides.

Around 7:45pm, Khairul was brought to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court and placed in the court's holding cell. Police requested that he be kept in jail custody, bdnews24 reports.

Khairul had been arrested earlier on Thursday by the Detective Branch of police at his Dhanmondi home. He was shown arrested in a case filed on Jul 6 this year over the fatal shooting of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum Ahad during anti-discrimination protests last year.

Ahad died on Jul 18, 2024, after being shot during clashes in the Kajla area of Jatrabari amid the nationwide movement demanding equal rights and non-discriminatory state policy.

Khairul had been arrested earlier on Thursday by the Detective Branch of police at his Dhanmondi home.

He was shown arrested in a case filed on Jul 6 this year over the fatal shooting of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum Ahad during anti-discrimination protests last year. Ahad died on Jul 18, 2024, after being shot during clashes in the Kajla area of Jatrabari amid the nationwide movement demanding equal rights and non-discriminatory state policy.

After his retirement, Khairul was appointed chairman of the Law Commission for a three-year term on Jul 23, 2013. He was later reappointed several times following the expiry of that initial term.

Following the fall of the Awami League government in the July Uprising, Khairul resigned from the Law Commission on Aug 13. Several cases were filed against him after that.

On Aug 27, Supreme Court lawyer Muzahedul Islam Shahin filed a case with Shahbagh police accusing Khairul of corruption and judicial forgery.

Earlier, on Aug 25, another case was filed against Khairul at Fatulla Police Station in Narayanganj. The case was filed by General Secretary of Fatulla Thana BNP and former president of the Narayanganj District Bar Association Abdul Bari Bhuiyan in connection with the verdict declaring the caretaker government system unconstitutional 13 years ago.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also opened an inquiry against Khairul over allegations that he unlawfully acquired a government plot.

As part of the investigation, the ACC on Thursday sent official letters to the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, the chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), and the office of the deputy commissioner, requesting all relevant documents.

A senior ACC official said, "We have requested documents as part of an inquiry into allegations that former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque received a plot unlawfully, with assistance from some corrupt officials of RAJUK and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works."