The High Court today issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to release Md Arman, a technician at a Benarasi Palli in Dhaka’s Mirpur area, who has allegedly been suffering in jail for more than three years in a drug case in place of the real accused.

In the rule, the court asked the authorities concerned of the government to show cause why the detention of Arman should not be declared illegal and why it should not be ordered to give adequate compensation to Arman.

The HC also asked the authorities to explain why it should not be directed to produce Arman before this court to satisfy it (court) that he was not arrested illegally.

Besides, it ordered the metropolitan sessions judge of Dhaka to send the record of the case in which Arman was arrested before the HC in seven days.

The bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the rule and order following a writ petition filed by rights organization Law and Life Foundation seeking necessary order.

The bench also fixed May 6 for passing further order on this issue, petitioner’s lawyer Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab told The Daily Star.

He said the police reportedly arrested Arman in a drug case in January 2016 instead of original accused of the case Shahabuddin Bihari, their fathers’ names are Md Yeasin.

The incident of detention of Arman is like that of jute mill worker Jaha Alam, who was released from jail following HC directive, Barrister Pallab added.