Judicial probe against AL secretary begins Jan 18

But the date of judicial probe into the case against AL Chief Sheikh Hasina is yet to be fixed.

Two metropolitan magistrates yesterday fixed the dates after scrutinising the case file and relevant documents.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abdur Rouf Khan will conduct the judicial inquiry of the case against Jalil while Mizanur Rahman against Quader.

Magistrate ABM Abdul Fattah will fix the date and conduct the probe into the case against Hasina.

Earlier on November 26, CMM Jalal Ahmed directed three metropolitan magistrates to conduct judicial probe into three separate defamation suits.

Tarique filed the cases with the CMM's Court on November 19 for conducting 'malicious campaign' against him.

After hearing the petitioner, Metropolitan Magistrate AJM Abdullahel Baqui ordered judicial inquiry into all the three cases without taking the matter into direct cognisance.

In the complaint against Hasina, Tarique mentioned that she (Hasina) told a public meeting at Paltan Maidan on November 3, "The son of 4-party alliance chief drives Tk 2 crore car, wears suit worth Tk 1 lakh and squanders thousands of crore of taka in gambling abroad," and "a syndicate of 2 lakh and 86 thousand crore taka is being run at Hawa Bhaban."

In the charge against Quader, the complainant said he (Quader) at a press briefing on November 4 said "The New York Stock Exchange has awarded Tarique Rahman with a medal. How much taka is needed to get it, what is the source of this money, people want to know."

Quader also said "People want to know what Tarique carried in 435 suitcases and bags on his trip to Saudi Arabia for performing the Umrah? Why and how the Malaysian government has confiscated the money of Tarique?"

Tarique quoted AL general secretary as telling the newsmen on November 16, "Apu, APS of Tarique, met the inspector general of police (IGP) and pressurised him for the posting of 15 BNP men as officers-in-charge (OCs) to the police stations of Gopalganj, Faridpur, Shariatpur and Madaripur."

The petitioner said all these widely published and telecast statements of the AL leaders are false and baseless aiming to undermine his political image.