Judge was influenced by fisheries minister: Pirojpur AL leader Awal on bail rejection

Former Awami League lawmaker AKMA Awal today alleged that Pirojpur district and sessions judge, who was stand-released yesterday, rejected his bail after being "influenced by a minister".

"Being influenced by Pirojpur-1 lawmaker and Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, the judge illegally cancelled our bail prayers [including his wife's petition] though we had the legal right to get bail," he said.

Awal, also president of the district unit Awami League, was addressing a press conference at the party office this noon.

He also alleged that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed three cases against him and his wife after being "influenced" by Rezaul Karim.

Yesterday, Pirojpur District and Sessions Judge Abdul Mannan was stand-released over corruption allegations and attached to the law ministry hours after he rejected bail petitions of Awal and his wife.

The court had also ordered the authorities concerned to send Awal and his wife Laila Parvin to jail.

ACC Deputy Director Ali Akbar filed the cases with the commission's integrated district office in Barishal on December 30 last year over leasing khas (government) land using fake documents.

After the order was passed, supporters of Awal started demonstrations on the court premises. Later, Awal and his wife got bail from another court in the district.