HC asks why copy of accused’s confessional statement would not be provided
In response to an application on Tuesday, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the ruling
The High Court (HC) has issued a ruling asking why a copy of a confessional statement of an accused, under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, would not be provided to the defendant during the investigation of a case.
In response to an application on Tuesday, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the ruling and asked the state to respond within the next four weeks.
Lawyer Md Shishir Monir, along with lawyers Asad Uddin and Jobaidur Rahman, was present at the court in favour of the petition.
Shishir Monir told reporters that a man named Nahidul Islam was killed on 4 July last year. Lipon Patwari, the accused in the murder case, gave a confessional statement.
An application was made to the lower court for a copy of the statement and the application was rejected. The accused filed an appeal against the order in the HC under Section 561 A of the Criminal Procedure Code, he added.
He also said, "A confessional statement is used against the accused and is a public document under the Evidence Act. There is no legal impediment for the accused to get it."