SK Sinha seeks asylum in Canada

Former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has reportedly sought asylum in Canada, claiming that he was threatened for his refusal to support political interference in the judiciary, according to a report.

In an interview with Canada based online news portal The Star, SK Sinha, this week, said that he has received threats for his stance against the political interference that would have given parliament greater power to axe dissenting judges.

SK Sinha has been in exile since November 2017. Most recently, he has been staying in the United States, before crossing in Canada through Fort Erie on July 4 and filing a refugee claim, The Star claimed in its reports yesterday.

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“I was being targeted because I was an activist judge. I delivered judgments that provoked bureaucrats, the establishment, politicians and even terrorists,” Sinha told the Star during the interview.

“I am the enemy of the country, the persona non grata.”

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Canada Mizanur Rahman denied Sinha’s accusations, The Star report said.

“All I can tell you is since he left Bangladesh, he has been making these inaccurate statements about the government,” Mizanur Rahman told The Star over phone.

“He is absolutely under no threat to return to the country. He is making these statements just to strengthen his refugee claim,” the high commissioner added.

Earlier on July 10, the Anti-Corruption Commission had filed a case against the former chief justice and 10 others, over corruption, money laundering and abuse of power.

SK Sinha, however, has denied the charges brought against him by the ACC.  

The ACC did not respond to The Star’s enquiry about the charges.