SC summons judge for granting bail to rape accused despite its stay order

The Supreme Court today summoned the judge of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 of Dhaka for granting bail to an accused in a rape case despite the apex court's stay order on the bail.

The SC directed Mosammat Begum Kamrun Nahar, the judge of the tribunal, to appear before it at 9:00am on April 2 to explain why she granted bail to Aslam Shikder, a former programme producer of private TV channel ATN Bangla, in the case.

The apex court also scrapped the bail of Aslam Shikder and ordered him to surrender before the trial court concerned in two weeks in connection with the rape case.

A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the state in connection with the case.

Earlier in the day, the SC called for the documents of the case from the tribunal and found that the apex court had stayed a High Court order that granted bail to Aslam in the case, Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath told The Daily Star.

Court sources said the case was filed with Hatirjheel Police Station on September 13, 2018 against Aslam Shikder on charge of raping a woman. The police arrested him on the same day and he was sent to jail the following day.

Following a bail petition filed by Aslam, the HC on June 18, 2018 granted him bail in the case, which the Supreme Court stayed on June 25.

On March 2 this year, Judge Mosammat Begum Kamrun Nahar of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 of Dhaka granted bail to Aslam.