HC moves against misuse of powers by police

A High Court bench has issued two rules on the misuse of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 160, which defines police officers’ powers to summon witnesses. The first rule was issued on why measures should not be taken against police’s misuse of powers as stated under CrPC 160. The second was issued on why a letter by a Gazipur sub-inspector calling for an arbitrary settlement over a business issue should not be declared void. Petitioner’s lawyer Md Uzzal Hossain said the sub-inspector of Gazipur Police had sent a notice to Ashish Kumar Sharma on November 6 asking him to report to Gazipur Detective Branch office on November 19 to provide some business documents after Step International's Md Oliullah's filed a complaint against him for holding a payment of Tk32 lakh for the garment accessories Oliullah had supplied earlier. However, this measure by the police was a violation of the power stated under CrPC 160 as police is given the authority to summon someone only if a regular case is filed.  The CrPC 160 power cannot be put in force for grievances related to business by commercial enterprises for salvaging monetary claims. A two-week time frame has been assigned to the act on both these rules. The Home Ministry secretary and Inspector General of Police will be responsible for first rule, while for the second rule the responsible personnel will be Home Ministry secretary, Inspector General of Police, Gazipur police superintendent, Gazipur Detective Branch OC and Gazipur police sub-inspector Mustafizur Rahman. Gazipur police sub-inspector Mustafizur Rahman has also been asked by the HC bench to appear on December 4 with the controversial complaint documents.