Detention of 219 migrant returnees: HC asks Inspector Shafiullah to appear before it on Oct 29

The High Court has asked Inspector Mohammad Shafiullah of Turag Police Station to appear before it on October 29 to explain why 219 returnees from three Gulf states were detained under Section 54.

On July 4, police filed a case with the police station against the 219 returnees from three Gulf states. Inspector Shafiullah was made IO.

A bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mustafizur Rahman yesterday asked the IO to appear before it in this connection.

The plaintiff sought relief under Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure that empowers "the High Court Division to make such orders as may be necessary to prevent abuse of the process of any Court and otherwise secure the ends of justice."

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua made the submission on behalf of one Shahin Alam, a returnee from Bahrain.

Under the stewardship of legal counsel Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua and his team, the case was facilitated by academic activist Rezaur Rahman Lenin and Dr C R Abrar of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU).

They were shown arrested on July 4 under section 54 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for their alleged involvement in tarnishing the image of the government.