Legal notice seeks mobile court operation to punish those misappropriating relief

A Supreme Court lawyer today served a legal notice to the government, requesting it to operate mobile courts to give exemplary punishment to those who are involved with irregularities in relief distribution and in misappropriation of relief materials during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Advocate Md Moniruzzaman Lincoln sent the legal notice to the law and home secretaries through emails asking them to take necessary steps to this effect in seven days.

He said in the legal notice that some dishonest people, including local representatives, are reportedly misappropriating relief materials allocated by the government for destitute people during the ongoing shutdown to curb coronavirus transmission.

Such irregularities and misappropriation are punishable offence under the law and the offenders can be punished through the mobile court as per the relevant rules of the Mobile Court Act, 2009, the lawyer said in the legal notice.

Advocate Moniruzzaman told The Daily Star that he will move a writ petition before the High Court seeking necessary orders if the respondents don't take steps in seven days in line with the requirements mentioned in the legal notice.