Defamation case: AK Khandker gets bail

The High Court today granted a six-week bail to former planning minister Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khandker in a defamation case.

The case was filed for his statement in his book Bhetore Baire that Mujib Bahini, a special force formed by the Awami League to fight against the Pakistan occupation army, was involved in looting during the Liberation War and most of them were not found in the battle field.

MA Ihshaq Bhuiyan, a Mujib bahini member and former joint secretary of the government, filed the defamatory case with the Court of Senior Judicial Magistrate in Brahmanbaria on September 10 last year.

The additional chief judicial magistrate on March 23 this year summoned AK Khandker asking him to appear before the court on June 25 in connection with the case.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Nizamul Huq and Justice Farid Ahmed Shibli granted the anticipatory bail to him in response to a bail petition submitted by AK Khandker on Wednesday. He was present at the courtroom.

Ak Khandakar’s lawyer Shubroto Chowdhury told The Daily Star that his client needs not to appear before the Brahmanbaria court on June 25 following the HC.

AK Khandker will appear before the court after six weeks and will seek bail in the case, he said.