Home
+
Published : 18 Aug 2015, 12:51 PM
LGRD Minister Mosharraf says journalist Probir Sikdar ‘had to be arrested’
Ganajagaran Mancha, others protest against journalist Probir Sikdar’s arrest
He stands accused of ‘libel’ against LGRD Minister Khandker Musharraf Hossain through a Facebook posting.
Judge Md Hamidul Haque of the Faridpur Cognisance Court gave the order on Tuesday after police sought a 10-day remand.
He scheduled the next hearing on Aug 22.
Police had brought Sikdar to court amidst criticism over the journalist’s detention by various quarters and pleaded for 10 days to question him.
“We sought bail citing his physical disabilities. But the court turned down our plea,” Ali Ashraf Nannu, Sikdar’s counsel, said.
However, no one represented Probir Sikdar when he was brought to court the day before or ordered into jail.
Animesh Ray and Narayan Chandra Saha stood for Swapan Kumar Pal, the plaintiff of the case.
After being threatened for his Facebook posts, journalist Sikdar had tried to file a general diary at a police station in Dhaka highlighting his insecurity.
On Aug 10, Sikdar talked about the police's refusal to register the complaint in his Facebook posting and blamed LGRD Minister Mosharaff Hossain for the threat to his life.
The Facebook post, titled ‘Those who are a threat to my life and will be responsible for my death’, read:
“I am clearly saying that the people named below will be responsible for my life being at risk or my death.
1. LGRD Minister Engineer Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, MP
2. Razakar Nula Moosa alias Dr Moosa bin Shamser
3. Death-row war criminal Bachchu Razakar alias Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad
And their supporters.”
Sikdar was moved to Faridpur around Sunday midnight after he was arrested in Dhaka in the evening.
The case against him was lodged at Faridpur Kotwali Police Station by then.
A local court on Monday sent the journalist to prison.
Mosharraf claimed he did not know about the case, but told bdnews24.com: “Tell me who on earth will not seek legal action if such an accusation is made. I have to protect myself, defend myself.”
The minister also said that if 'someone on his behalf' had sought legal redress, the action was justified. "Or else it would be like accepting his (Sikdar's) charges. God forbid, but if suddenly he died, I would be in the dock as prime accused."
The move against Sikdar was made under Section 57 of the law which criminalises ‘publishing fake, obscene or defaming information in electronic form’:
“If any person deliberately publishes or transmits or causes to be published or transmitted in the website or in electronic form any material which is fake and obscene or its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it, or causes to deteriorate or creates possibility to deteriorate law and order, prejudice the image of the State or person or causes to hurt or may hurt religious belief or instigate against any person or organisation, then this activity of his will be regarded as an offence."
Offence under this provision of the ICT Act is punishable by at least seven years in prison and 14 years imprisonment at the most. Fine can be as high as Tk 10 million.
Sikdar was injured in a 2001 attack while working as a correspondent for Dainik Janakantha.
He claimed at that time that he was attacked because he wrote against business tycoon Moosa bin Shamsher, who he claims was a collaborator of the Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War.
