Janakantha’s contempt hearing adjourned until Aug 9

The apex court today adjourned the hearing on contempt rule against The Daily Janakantha editor and its executive editor until August 9.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court passed the order after hearing on a 3-month time plea moved by the defendants for answering the rule.

Editor and publisher of Janakantha Atiqullah Khan Masud and the daily’s Executive Editor Swadesh Roy appeared before the court this morning following a July 29 order.

Besides, the four-member bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha also issued show cause notice to Soyeb Khan, an assistant attorney general, for appearing on behalf of Janakantha.

The contempt rule against Janakantha was pronounced on July 29 over an article published in the daily on July 16 involving the family of condemned war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

After hearing today, the court fixed August 9 for hearing the rule and asked the two journalists to come up with answer to the rule on that date.

SHOW CAUSE AGAINST JANAKANTHA LAWYER

In the show cause notice the top court asked Soyeb Khan to explain by 48 hours as to why his certificate as advocate on record should not cancelled.

During hearing, the court asked the lawyer to transfer his appearance authority (for Janakantha) to another lawyer. But, Soyeb Khan refused citing that he is not moving against the government.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told the court that as an assistant attorney general, Soyeb Khan cannot appear as an advocate on record in a contempt of court case.

After emerging from the court, Soyeb Khan told The Daily Star that he will submit the reply to the Supreme Court regarding the show cause notice in 48 hours.

He also said that his clients will have to appear before the apex court for August 9 hearing.