HC to state: Why deny seven undertrial prisoners bail

The High Court has issued a suo-moto rule asking the government to explain the bail rejection to seven undertrial prisoners of Kashimpur jail. The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan adopted the move on Thursday and asked the state authorities to submit the report within two weeks. The court also ordered the jail authorities to produce the seven prisoners before thze court on January 24. The bench also sought the documents of the cases. The ruling appeared as Supreme Court Legal Aid Panel lawyer Behesthi Marzan drew the court's attention to the matter following a private television channel's report on the plight of the prisoners. The seven are: Rasel Sheikh, jailed since December 11 in a 2004 in firearms case; Saidur Rahman, since September 6, 2005 in Women and Children Repression case; Rajib Hossain, since December 6, 2003 in murder case; Md Parvej, since July 2, 2004 in Women and Children Repression case; Liton Chambo Gong, since January 23, 2005 in murder case; Babu, since December 11, 2003 in a murder case; and Masud, who has been imprisoned since April 1, 2003.