Juba League leader bailed in case over shooting at rickshaw-puller

A Dhaka court has granted bail to a Juba League leader who earlier allegedly shot and injured a rickshaw-puller in the city's Banani area.

Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Nabi issued the bail order on Saturday after the plaintiff, rickshaw-puller Kabir Uddin, said he had no objection to the bail plea by accused Yusuf Sarder Sohel, Joint Convenor, Banani Juba League.

The court rejected a remand petition by police, who wanted to quiz the accused in custody in a case over the shooting incident in Banani on Thursday night.

Media reports say Sohel reportedly shot Kabir in the leg with his licensed pistol at Road No. 2 in Banani, close to Mohakhali. He was apparently drunk at the time, according to reports.

The victim, Kabir, could not name the person who shot him but provided the description of the gun-wielding man to the police, which led to the arrest of Sohel on Friday.

Police said Sohel confessed to the shooting but said it was a 'misunderstanding'.

Banani Police Sub-Inspector Ripon Kumar produced Sohel in court on Saturday and sought five days’ remand to know more about the accused and the shooting incident.

Sohel's lawyer filed a petition for his bail seeking cancellation of the remand petition.

Kabir, in a surprising move, told the court during hearings that he had no objection to Sohel's bail, according to Court Police Sub-Inspector Farid Mia.

Lawyers suspect that the rickshaw-puller might have been coerced or bribed into speaking in favour of the accused.

About the incident, the rickshaw-puller said one of the two passengers shot him in the leg at one stage of an altercation over the fare. Locals took him to a hospital.

Media reports suggest Sohel tried to pass off the matter as a mugging incident.