August 21 grenade attack: SC rejects bail petitions of ex-DIG, ex-DMP deputy commissioner

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today denied bail to two convicts -- former deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Khan Sayeed Hasan and former deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Obaidur Rahman Khan -- in August 21 grenade attack cases.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain dismissed a petition filed by Khan Sayeed and Obaidur Rahman seeking bail in the cases.

Khan Sayeed and Obaidur Rahman, who were sentenced to two years' imprisonment and fined Tk 50,000 each by a trial court, were sent to jail on January 28 last year after they surrendered to a lower court in connection with the cases.

On March 9, the High Court Division of the SC rejected bail petitions filed by the duo.

Later on, they submitted a petition to the Appellate Division challenging the HC's rejection order. In the same petition, they sought bail in the cases.

After virtually holding hearing on the petition, the apex court today dismissed their petition.

Lawyer Arshadur Rauf appeared for the convicts while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin opposed their bail petition.

A Dhaka court on October 10, 2018 sentenced 19 persons, including former state minister and BNP leader Lutfozzaman Babar, to death, and 19 others -- including BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman -- to life imprisonment in connection with two cases over the August 21 grenade attack.

Besides, 11 people including Khan Sayeed and Obaidur Rahman were awarded different jail terms in the sensational cases.

At least 24 people were killed and around 300 injured in the grisly attack on an Awami League rally on the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.

Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader in parliament, narrowly escaped the attack with an ear injury.