Dispose of drug-related cases in 6 months: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the lower courts concerned to complete trials proceedings of all yaba and other drug and narcotics related cases within six months. The HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman also asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to monitor whether the investigation officers of these cases have shown any negligence in producing the witnesses to the trial court on the scheduled dates.

Police and other individuals, who are related with the cases, have been asked to play their due role in completing the trial proceedings within six months of taking the cases into congnisance by the court. The trial courts concerned will have to explain to the Supreme Court committee if they fail to complete within six months the trial proceedings of the narcotics and drug related cases after accepting those, the directive said.

It also asked the lower courts concerned to inform the DCs and SPs about the negligence of the IOs, if they found any.

The HC also asked the trial courts to submit reports to the Supreme Court committee on the lower court whether the public prosecutors and investigation officers have been showing any negligence in dealing with such cases.

The HC bench also asked the law secretary and the Supreme Court registrar general to communicate the order to the lower court, DCs and SPs so that they can take immediate effective steps in this regard.

The HC bench came up with the order while hearing a petition filed by one Md Mizanur Rahman Baroi, an accused of a drug-related case filed in Madaripur.

The High Court noticed that the case against Mizanur was accepted by the Madaripur court in 2016 but its trial proceedings have not been finished yet.

During the hearing on the petition, the HC bench observed that such a case can be disposed of in a day if the judge, investigation officers and public prosecutor deal with it sincerely. The court also granted a six-month bail to Mizanur Rahman in the case filed against him. Advocate Fazlur Rahman appeared for the petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Yusuf Mahmud Morshed represented the state.

Later Morshed told reporters that Mizanur has been languishing in jail since his arrest in the case. The investigation officer is yet to produce any witness before the court. Hence the HC bench granted him bail, he added.

More than 3 lakh drug related cased remain pending with different courts across the country mainly due to slow trial process, according to sources. According to the sources, a total of 6,47,552 people have been arrested since 2011 in cases filed over trading and smuggling of drugs.

 

Dispose of drug-related cases in 6 months: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the lower courts concerned to complete trials proceedings of all yaba and other drug and narcotics related cases within six months. The HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman also asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to monitor whether the investigation officers of these cases have shown any negligence in producing the witnesses to the trial court on the scheduled dates. Police and other individuals, who are related with the cases, have been asked to play their due role in completing the trial proceedings within six months of taking the cases into congnisance by the court. The trial courts concerned will have to explain to the Supreme Court committee if they fail to complete within six months the trial proceedings of the narcotics and drug related cases after accepting those, the directive said. It also asked the lower courts concerned to inform the DCs and SPs about the negligence of the IOs, if they found any. The HC also asked the trial courts to submit reports to the Supreme Court committee on the lower court whether the public prosecutors and investigation officers have been showing any negligence in dealing with such cases. The HC bench also asked the law secretary and the Supreme Court registrar general to communicate the order to the lower court, DCs and SPs so that they can take immediate effective steps in this regard. The HC bench came up with the order while hearing a petition filed by one Md Mizanur Rahman Baroi, an accused of a drug-related case filed in Madaripur. The High Court noticed that the case against Mizanur was accepted by the Madaripur court in 2016 but its trial proceedings have not been finished yet. During the hearing on the petition, the HC bench observed that such a case can be disposed of in a day if the judge, investigation officers and public prosecutor deal with it sincerely. The court also granted a six-month bail to Mizanur Rahman in the case filed against him. Advocate Fazlur Rahman appeared for the petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Yusuf Mahmud Morshed represented the state. Later Morshed told reporters that Mizanur has been languishing in jail since his arrest in the case. The investigation officer is yet to produce any witness before the court. Hence the HC bench granted him bail, he added. More than 3 lakh drug related cased remain pending with different courts across the country mainly due to slow trial process, according to sources. According to the sources, a total of 6,47,552 people have been arrested since 2011 in cases filed over trading and smuggling of drugs.