HC grants bail to Zainul, asks cops not to harass Khokon

The High Court today granted anticipatory bail to Supreme Court Bar Association President and BNP Vice Chairman Advocate Zainul Abedin in three separate criminal cases.

The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath granted the bail to Zainul till submission of the police reports to the trial court in connection with the cases, Barrister AKM Ehsanur Rahman, a lawyer for Zainul, told The Daily Star.

The cases were filed with Ramna and Shahbagh Police Stations on charges of attacking police and preventing them from discharging during an agitation enforced by BNP-led alliance while BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s returning home after appearing before a court at Bakshibazarin Dhaka in connection with a corruption case on January 30.

Advocate Zainul was granted bail on the ground that he was not present on the spot during the incident of attack on the police as he was at a meeting with foreign diplomats in Dhaka on January 30, said Ehsanur Rahman.

Meanwhile, another bench of Justice Naima Haiderand Zafar Ahmed ordered the authorities concerned of the government not to harass or arrest SCBA Secretary and BNP’s Joint Secretary General Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon for next one month in the same cases as he will return home from New York on Saturday.

The three separate bail petitions were filed by Zainul Abedin and a writ petition filed by Mahbub Uddin’s wife Akhtarunnesa Atia.

The bench also asked Mahbub Uddin to submit bail petitions to a lower court concerned after appearing to it in a month in connection with the cases.

Akhtarunnesa submitted the writ petition seeking necessary order apprehending that law enforcers may harass and arrest her husband while he will be returning home from abroad, Barrister Ehsanur added.

Barrister Moudud Ahmed appeared for the petitioners.