The Supreme Court has ordered the private satellite television Ekattor TV to submit video footage of a talk show and a report on the alleged audio conversation between two SC judges.
A four-member bench of Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha in a suo-moto rule passed the order on Tuesday.
The chief justice asked Attorney General Mahbubey Alam to contact with the authorities of the TV channel to submit the footages by August 16.
The court would examine whether the channel committed any contempt of court by broadcasting the news and holding the talk show on a sub-judice matter, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters in the afternoon while briefing them about the court order at his office.
“They aired the conversation at the talk show Monday night. The participants of the talk show discussed over the conversation. I think the matter is contemptuous. It has drawn attention of the court,” he said.
The SC on Monday held hearing on a contempt of court rule against Janakantha editor and publisher Atiqullah Khan Masud and its Executive Editor Swadesh Roy for publishing article on the alleged conversation over the Appellate Division's upcoming verdict on a war crime case against Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.
The SC upheld his death sentence that was awarded by a war crimes tribunal. The court has fixed August 13 for delivering verdict on the contempt rule on Janakantha.
“When a verdict is pending, broadcasting report and talk show on a sub-judice matter is tantamount to contempt of court,” said the attorney general at the briefing.