Return case files, don't talk to press

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha yesterday wanted that Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, a former Supreme Court judge, immediately return all the files of cases of "unsettled judgments pending with him" to the SC registrar general's office.

Earlier in the day, Justice Manik in a letter informed the CJ that he finished writing all the judgments and orders, but Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, presiding judge of the apex court bench, of which he (Manik) was a member, refused to accept those “on instructions” of the CJ.

Manik also requested the CJ to take necessary steps for accepting the judgments and orders he has written after his retirement on October 1 last year.

Later in the evening, Manik told The Daily Star that Justice Wahhab Miah agreed to accept the judgments and orders from him and that he would send those immediately.  

 An SC press release yesterday said, “The honourable chief justice of Bangladesh hopes that former Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury will return all the files of cases of unsettled judgments pending with him to the Supreme Court's registrar general's office immediately without making any statement to the media about the judgments and orders, so that justice seekers do not suffer further.”

The press release, signed by Abu Syed Diljar Hussain, acting registrar general of the SC, said Justice Manik yesterday held a press conference on the SC premises during court hours, which is unprecedented. The matter came to the notice of the chief justice through the electronic media.

The CJ hoped that the judges would refrain from doing such things in order to uphold the sanctity and dignity of the court.

At the press conference, Justice Manik said, “My presiding judge, honourable Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, refused to accept the judgments and orders written by me … saying that judgments and orders written by retired judges are not being accepted on instructions of the chief justice.”

When the statement of Justice Manik came to the notice of the chief justice, he drew the attention of Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah. Justice Wahhab Miah informed the CJ that Justice Manik did not submit to him the written judgments or orders, according to the SC press release.

Manik later told this correspondent that he completed writing all the 15 judgments and around 70 orders pending with him after his retirement.