A sedition complaint was filed against Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam yesterday on charges of publishing corruption stories without verification against Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina based on information provided by the DGFI.
Mostafizur Rahman Dulal, an assistant public prosecutor of the Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court, filed the case with the Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court under sections 123 (A), 124 (A) and 500 of the Penal Code.
Magistrate Snigdha Rani Chakrabarty directed the officer-in-charge of Kotwali police to assign an inspector-level official to conduct an inquiry into the allegation.
The court also said that it requires the government’s prior permission to take the charges into cognisance.
On receiving the permission from the Home Ministry, the police officer will conduct the inquiry and take necessary legal steps. The report will have to be submitted by March 28, the court said.
The complainant mentioned that the Daily Star had published false and confusing reports on Sheikh Hasina during the military-led caretaker government in 2007-08. Five people, including a Dhaka University teacher and journalists of various daily newspapers, were included as witnesses in the case.
Dulal said the accused had aimed at removing Hasina from politics and bring anti-democratic forces to power to implement the prescription of the DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence). Such activities are tantamount to sedition, he said.
Several cases have already been filed in different districts against Mahfuz since February 3 after on a TV talk show he had admitted that he had made a big mistake by running the stories based on information provided by the DGFI.
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