Latif Siddique gets bail in 10 more cases
The High Court yesterday granted bail to former minister and Awami League leader Abdul Latif Siddique in 10 cases filed against him for hurting religious sentiment.
In response to separate bail petitions, the High Court (HC) bench comprising Justice Md Nizamul Huq and Justice Md Farid Ahmed Shibli also stayed the proceedings of the cases for six months.
Earlier on May 25, the same HC bench granted bail to Latif Siddique in seven cases filed in Dhaka and Narayanganj for his disparaging remarks on hajj and Tablig Jamaat.
The HC also issued rule asking the government to explain why the proceedings of those cases should not be scrapped.
Among the 10 cases, seven were filed against him in Chittagong and three were filed in Dhaka, Chapai Nawabganj and Laxmipur.
However, Latif Siddique will not be able to come out of the jail as he has been indicted in 11 more cases in other districts filed over the same charges, Deputy Attorney General Monirul Kabir told reporters after the HC order.
On the other hand, defence lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua made dissimilar view saying that his client may get release from jail following the order since there is no arrest warrant against Latif in the remaining cases.
On November 25 last year, a Dhaka court sent the sacked minister to prison after he surrendered to police in a case filed over his comments that allegedly demeaned hajj.
On September 28 last year, at a views-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail in New York, Latif Siddique made disparaging remarks about hajj, one of the main pillars of Islam, and Tablig Jamaat.
Latif Siddique had said, During hajj, too much of manpower is wasted. Over 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj. They have no work, no production and they only cause deduction.
