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August
25, 2000
Chittagong,
Aug 24 (UNB) - Efforts are underway to file a petition with the higher
courts seeking cancellation of bails of 38 hardened criminals as they
engaged in fresh crimes after their release from jail.
Court
sources said 52 top terrors, out of 157, were arrested by police on
various occasions and then released on bail from different courts.
They
said the recent killings and deteriorating law and order situation in
the port city drew attention to the fact that the terrorists after
their release from jails engaged again in serious crimes.
These
hardcore criminals, the sources said, have long been perpetrating
criminal offences in the city with the blessings of major political
parties.
Of
the 157 terrorists, 56 were said to have link with the leaders of
ruling Awami League while 46 with those of BNP, 16 with the leaders of
Jamaat and NDP. Twenty of them have no political link.
Of
those who are now out of jail on bail, 23 belong to AL, 16 to BNP,
four to Jamaat and NDP, and 2 have no political connection. Two of
them were also elected ward commissioners.
Besides,
legal proceedings are underway against the guarantor lawyers of 134
terrorists of the city as the criminals violated the conditions of
their bail bonds.
As
per their bail bonds, the criminals would refrain from indulging in
fresh crimes, appear before the courts when they would be summoned and
never threat the witnesses.
Chief
Metropolitan Magistrate M Abdul Malek has already issued show cause
notices to 15 guarantor lawyers in this connection.
According
to the prosecution cell of CMP, 157 hardened criminals were arrested
from January 1998 to June 2000 on specific charges, including murder,
violence and bomb blast. But most of them got out of jail on bail.
A
public prosecutor said the petition would be filed to the Judge Court
as well as the High Court against the guarantor lawyers within a week
as they failed to produce their clients before the courts.
He
said fresh cases have also been filed against the criminals who are
now out of jail on bail.
Adv
Delwar Hossain, General Secretary of the District Lawyers Association,
said there is a provision in the existing law to take action against
the guarantors for their failure to produce their clients before the
concerned courts.
The
association has nothing to do if the court takes action against any
lawyer in this connection, he said.
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