CJ starts probe into 'murder accused-judge contact'

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has appointed an Administrative Tribunal member to investigate allegations that a Chandpur judge who exempted two murder case accused had been contacted by one over the cellphone 22 times.

AR Masud on Thursday has been asked to submit the report as early as possible, a Supreme Court source told The Daily Star yesterday.

It was based on an application submitted at the chief justice's office on May 31 by the plaintiff, Tawfiq Azim Mishu, added the source.

In it, Tawfiq mentioned that call lists show that Mohammad Ehsan had the phone communications with District and Sessions Judge Md Mafizul Islam between March 17 and April 15.

Ehsan and his father Main Uddin Hossain Tunu were exempted on April 8.

Tawfiq told The Daily Star that his uncle Liakat Ullah, 48, of Enayet Nagar village under Matlab upazila in Chandpur was hacked to death on May 10, 2012.

He filed the case with Matlab Police Station (North) on May 11, 2012 against 16 people.

The investigation officer submitted the charge sheet to a magistrate court on March 6, 2013 against 19 people.

Contacted over phone, the judge refused to talk with this correspondent.