Shafik Rehman can now appeal for bail in sedition case

The Supreme Court on Sunday granted senior journalist Shafik Rehman’s prayer to file an appeal before the court against a High Court order that rejected his bail in a sedition case, reports the UNB.

 

The four-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar K Sinha, passed the order following a leave-to-appeal petition filed by Shafik Rehman challenging an HC order that turned down his plea seeking bail in the case.

 

The SC directed both the prosecution and the defence to submit the concise statement of the appeal within three weeks.

 

The court also directed the jail authorities to take steps for proper treatment of Rehman and have him admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

 

Earlier on June 7, the HC rejected the bail plea of Shafik Rehman in the case filed over an alleged plot to abduct and kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the USA.

 

Later, he filed the leave-to-appeal petition with the apex court.

 

On June 29, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division sent the petition to the full bench for hearing.

 

On April 27, a Dhaka court sent the journalist to jail on completion of his second-term remand in the case.

 

On April 16, detectives arrested Shafik Rehman, former editor of the Bangla daily Jaijaidin, from his Eskaton Garden residence in the city.

 

The senior journalist in his early 80s was shown arrested in a criminal conspiracy case filed with Paltan police station on August 3, 2015 in connection with the attempt to abduct and kill Joy.