HC discards 'writ seeking ban on publishing Sinha murder probe info' from cause list

The High Court has removed a writ petition ─ filed last week demanding restriction on disclosing the investigation progress details of the retired major Sinha Md Rashed Khan murder case to the media – from its cause list.

A High Court (HC) bench of justice Md Khasruzzaman and justice Md Mahmud Hassan Talukder passed the order on Sunday.

Lawyers Asan Ullah and Sajal Mahmud Rasel appeared for the writ petitioner. And, Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state at the hearing.

Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar said the killing was a high-profile incident.

"People across the country are keeping an eye on this. Almost all the information related to the murder has come up in the media. Also, it is not legal to prevent anyone from knowing this information, because the camera trial is not being held in this case," he said.

And if this information is published, it will not have any effect on the trial. Thereby, the court ordered the removal of this writ from the cause list, said the deputy attorney general.

Deb Dulal Rakkhit, brother of suspended Sub-Inspector of Teknaf Model Police Station Nandalal Rakkhit, filed the writ petition last week.

After holding a partial hearing on the writ on September 8, the court fixed September 13 for the next hearing.

The writ petition also sought directives not to present the accused in front of the media until the investigation ends. Four people, including the home secretary and information secretary were made defendants in the writ petition.

The petition also urged the HC to issue a rule seeking an explanation as to why publishing the investigation information of the case, which is under trial at the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in the district of Cox's Bazar, should not be declared illegal.