Rony sues Salman

Ruling party MP Golam Maula Rony has sued Salman F Rahman, one of the owners of private Independent TV, for allegedly trying to kill him hours after the channel filed a case against him for supposedly trying to murder two journalists in his office.

In the case filed with the Shahbagh police on Saturday night, Rony accused Rahman of extortion, attempt-to-murder, and abduction.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ramna zone) Maruf Hossain Sarder confirmed the development to bdnews24.com.

On Saturday evening, the private television station accused Rony and 25 others of murderous assault on two of its journalists.

Shahbagh police OC Sirajul Islam said the case accused the Awami League lawmaker of attempt to murder, assault and vandalism.

Minutes later, Rony said he would file a case against the TV owner.

Earlier in the day, Rony had apologised for assaulting journalists Imtiaz Momin Sony and cameraman Mohsin Mukul, who went to his Meherba Plaza office at Topkhana Road to interview him.

He offered apologies after journalist union leaders rushed to his office on learning of the incident.

The lawmaker from Patuakhali-3 constituency had also agreed to bear the treatment expenses of the two journalists and pay damages.

He claimed henchmen of Rahman had tried to extort money.

File Photo

“They ‘staged’ Saturday’s incident with a view to abducting and murdering me, as they failed to get any money,” Rony claimed, according to case details.

He lodged the complaint on his MP’s letterhead.

Only months after his party came to power, the MP was accused of filling up a river and constructing a shopping mall in Patuakhali’s Galachipa. Several local dailies ran reports on the matter.

His supporters had allegedly beaten up several local journalists for reporting the incident. Rony had filed four cases against the newsmen.

However, he came into the limelight for saying on a TV channel that Syed Abul Hossain had won his Cabinet berth ‘winning a race’.