Bangladesh
Comilla Magistrate Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Comilla sentenced to one month imprisonment
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 12 October 2023: The High Court sentenced Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Judge) Sohel Rana of Comilla District Judge's Court to one month's imprisonment for contempt of court by framing charges in the judicial court despite being suspended by the High Court.
He has been asked to surrender in the concerned court of Dhaka within the next 7 days. He was transferred and attached to the Law Ministry soon after the incident. At the same time, the court fined him 5 thousand taka. The fine has been asked to be submitted to the Supreme Court.
Sohail Rana filed an explanation regarding the disregard of the High Court order in a case. Not satisfied with the explanation, the High Court ordered contempt of court against Sohail Rana. After hearing the ruling, the High Court gave this order today.
On Thursday (September 12), a bench comprising Justice Md. Badruzzaman and Justice Masud Hasan Dolan of the High Court gave the verdict.
Senior lawyer Shah Manjurul Haque heard on behalf of Sohail Rana in the court. Advocate Prannoy Kanti Roy appeared for the petitioner.
Petitioner lawyer Prannoy Kanti Roy said Sohail Rana apologized unconditionally. But the High Court did not accept his unconditional apology and sentenced him to 30 days without labor. Sohail Rana is currently attached to the Ministry of Law as Additional District Judge.
According to lawyers, a case was filed against the couple Mamun Chowdhury and Rhea Akhtar under the Telecommunication Regulation Act on March 27, 2017 at the Kotwali Model Police Station in Comilla.
The High Court issued a ruling on November 4, 2018 in view of an application made by the Mamun-Riya couple regarding the validity of the proceedings in the case. At the same time, the High Court suspended the proceedings of the case for four months.
On March 6, 2019, the High Court adjourned the case till the ruling. Despite the stay of the High Court, the then Chief Judicial Magistrate of Comilla Sohel Rana framed the complaint in the case on April 10 this year. Mamun was present in the court during the framing of charges. As Riya was absent, the court declared him absconding. In this situation, Mamun applied to the High Court to direct Sohail Rana to appear to explain the position regarding the disregard of the High Court order.
