HC for Tk 20 lakh as compensation for wrongful imprisonment

The High Court on Thursday directed the inspector general of police to give Tk 20 lakh as compensation to Md Arman, a technician at a Benarasi Palli in Mirpur, in 30 days as police personnel have wrongly arrested him and kept him in jail for around four years instead of the original accused in a drug case.

The court also asked the authorities concerned of the government to immediately release Arman from Dhaka central jail.

The HC ordered the IGP and commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police to withdraw four police officers, who were discharging duties under Pallabi Police Station when Arman was arrested, from their workplaces and to attach them to another place.

The four police officers are Dadan Fakir, now inspector under DMP; Md Nazrul Islam, now court inspector under DMP; Md Sirajul Islam, now inspector at Sports and Culture department under the police headquarters; and Md Russell, now sub-inspector of Mirpur Model Police Station, court sources said.

The IGP and DMP commissioner have been asked to submit separate reports to the HC by February 14 after complying with the directives.

The HC also ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation to conduct an enquiry into the incident.

It also asked the PBI to submit the probe report to the court by April 11, said Deputy Attorney General Nawroz MR Chowdhury.

The HC bench comprising Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the verdict following a writ petition filed by rights organisation Law and Life Foundation, seeking necessary order.

Petitioner's lawyer Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab told The Daily Star that the police reportedly arrested Arman in a drug case in January 2016 instead of original accused Shahabuddin Bihari. Both their fathers' names are Md Yeasin.

The detention of Arman is similar to that of jute mill worker Jaha Alam, who was released from jail following a HC directive, Barrister Pallab added.

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