HC denies bail to Shafik Rehman

The High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail pleas of senior journalist Shafik Rehman, now in jail, in a case filed over an alleged plot to abduct and kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the USA.

An HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Shafik’s counsels seeking bail for him.Khandker Mahbub Hossain and AJ Mohammad Ali stood for Shafik Rehman while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state. Dhaka, UNB News Agency Reported.

Meanwhile, Shafik will move the Supreme Court against the HC order, said his lawyers.On May 25, Shafik Rehman filed a petition before the HC, seeking bail in the case.On April 27, a Dhaka court sent the journalist to jail on completion of his second remand in the case. Later, he was put on a five-day remand twice after his arrest.

On 16 April, detectives arrested Shafik Rehman, former editor of the Bangla daily Jaijaidin, from his Eskaton Garden residence in the city.The senior journalist in his early 80s was shown arrested in a criminal conspiracy case filed with Paltan Police Station on August 3, 2015 in connection with the attempt to abduct and kill Joy.