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Hearing on Erfan Selim’s plea challenging stay on bail order April 19

UNB

Published at 07:55 pm April 8th, 2021

Erfan Selim Haji Selim RAB Old Dhaka 26.10.2020

File photo: Officials of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) escort Erfan Selim, ward councillor of Dhaka South City Corporation and son of Awami League MP Haji Md Selim, out of their Old Dhaka residence on Monday, October 26, 2020. He was arrested after RAB raided their house and found illegal firearms, ammunition, and liquor Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune

The HC had granted Erfan bail on March 18 which was stayed for four weeks by the chamber judge on March 28

The Appellate Division has fixed April 19 for hearing a petition filed by Erfan Selim challenging stay on his bail order in a case filed over assaulting a Navy officer last year.

Chamber Judge Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order on Thursday.

Advocate Abdul Baset Majumdar and Said Ahmed stood for Erfan, son of Awami League leader Haji Selim, while Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed represented the state.

On March 18, the High Court (HC) granted him bail which was later stayed for four weeks by the chamber judge on March 28.

On October 25 last year, a video of Lieutenant Wasif Ahmad Khan of Bangladesh Navy demanding justice in public went viral on social media after he was assaulted by Erfan, his bodyguard, chauffeur, and a few accomplices.

The attack took place at the Kalabagan bus stop area around 7:45pm, when the navy officer protested after his motorcycle was hit by Erfan's car, which had a parliament sticker on it.

On October 26, a case was filed with Dhanmondi police station in this regard.

On the same day, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raided the house of MP Haji Selim's Old Dhaka residence in the Chawkbazar area.

At that time, Erfan, the-then councillor of Dhaka South City Corporation's Ward 30, was arrested and sentenced by a mobile court of RAB to six months jail over recovery of illegal alcohol and another six months for possessing unregistered walkie-talkies.

His bodyguard Zahidul Mollah was also arrested then and sentenced by the mobile court.

In February this year, police pressed charges against Erfan and four others in the case filed over the assault of the navy officer.

Of late, separate courts in Dhaka exempted Erfan from drug and arms cases filed with Chawkbazar police station.

RAB filed the two cases under the narcotics control and arms acts on October 27 following its raid at Haji Selim's residence.

Police, however, submitted charge sheets against Zahidul in the two cases which the battalion filed against him as well.