A Kurigram court yesterday sent former deputy commissioner of Kurigram, Sultana Parvin, to jail after rejecting her bail petition in a case filed over torture of a journalist.
Kurigram District Sessions Judge Court, District and Sessions Judge Mosammat Ismat Ara rejected her bail application and ordered her to be sent to jail.
According to sources, former Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Sultana Parveen assisted by the then RDC Nazim Uddin, NDC Rahatul Islam and Executive Magistrate Rintu Bikash inhumanly tortured journalist Ariful Islam Rigan by setting up a mobile court, taking him from his house, and filing a drug case five years ago.
Later, the victimized journalist Ariful Islam Rigan filed a case against four people on March 31, 2020, naming Deputy Commissioner Sultana Parveen as the main accused.
Sultana Parveen got bail from the High Court. But when she appeared in court on Tuesday, September 2, to seek local bail, the judge rejected her application and ordered her to be sent to jail.
At that time, an eager crowd gathered in the court for a glimpse of the former Deputy Commissioner.
Kurigram District Public Prosecutor Advocate Md. Bazlur Rashid and Advocate Azizar Rahman Dulu appeared for the state while Advocate Fakhrul Islam for the defendant.
Worth mentioning that on the night of March 13, 2020, journalist Ariful Islam Rigan, Kurigram correspondent of Bangla Tribune, was picked up from his home by several magistrates and law enforcers for his story over a pond and various irregularities.
He was blindfolded and threatened with “crossfire” near the Dharla river shoal, according to
the case statement.
A mobile court was set up at the District Administrator’s office at around 2 am and sentenced him to one year in prison and a fine of Tk 50,000 in a drug case. .
After that incident, the administration faced widespread criticism.
Later, in the face of the journalist’s movement, Ariful was released on bail the following day.
