A trial court in Jhalakathi has indicted Limon Hossain in the arms case filed by Rab on the ninth date of hearing on the charge framing. Limon, a college student, was allegedly maimed in a Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) shootout on March 23, 2011.
Monday was fixed for hearing of an appeal lodged on July 3, 2011 by Henoara Begum, the mother of Limon, for his acquittal from the charge of “carrying a revolver loaded with bullets and fighting with Rab.”
Limon, his mother, and the defence lawyers – Manik Acharya, Nasimul Hasan, Nasimul Kabir, Akkas Hossain and Hasan Sikder – appeared before the special tribunal 2 of Jhalakathi in the morning. They moved the appeal saying that the charges were false. The appeal also states that after being shot, Limon lost consciousness during the stated time and date of occurrence.
However, Kiran Shangkar Haldar, the additional district judge of Jhalakathi, after the hearing rejected the defence's appeal. The court framed charges against Limon and fixed August 26 for recording testimony of witnesses, said M Alam Khan, the additional prosecutor.
The defence lawyers said they would appeal before the higher court against the charge framing order. Nur Khan, executive director of Ain o Salish Kendra, said they would provide all sorts of legal assistances to Limon in the appeal against the court order of charge framing.
A Rab team reportedly shot and arrested Limon in the leg after taking him to a place adjacent to his house at Jamaddarhat in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi on March 23, 2011. Limon used to work at a brick kiln to bear his educational expenses.
Limon’s left leg had to be amputated from the thigh on March 27 at Dhaka National Institute for Traumatolgy and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor) hospital as the tissues were totally damaged due to excessive bleeding caused by delay in treatment after the shooting.
He obtained bail from the High Court on May 5 and was released from the prison cell of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on May 9, 2011. The technical team of the Centre for Disability in Development at Savar fixed an artificial leg on him on August 29 and Limon went home on October 13 the same year.
Rab on March 23, 2011 filed two cases with the local police against Limon and seven other accused – one under the Arms Act and another for obstructing official duty, making attempts to murder and injuring Rab personnel.
Charge sheet in first case against Limon and seven others were submitted on April 24, 2011 and in the second one on July 1 same year.
The date for hearing on charge framing in the other case is set for today.
Case against Rab
Limon's mother Henoara filed a case on April 10, 2011 accusing six Rab personnel for attempting to murder, severely injuring and maiming her son.
Police on August 14 last year secretly filed a final report in the case claiming that they found no evidence and witnesses against Rab.
Limon’s mother filed a “no confidence” (Naraji) plea against the final report on August 30. A Jhalakathi Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court on February 13 this year rejected the petition.
Hearing of a revision prayer against rejection of the “no objection” plea is fixed for August 13 with the Jhalakathi District and Sessions’ Judge’s Court.
NHRC chief on Limon case
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman, Dr Mizanur Rahman, on Sunday urged the government to withdraw the cases filed against Limon and help him return to normal life, reports BSS.
He also denied media reports that he had requested Limon’s family to withdraw their case against Rab.
