ICT exonerates Salauddin's counsel

International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday exonerated a counsel of executed war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury from a contempt of court charge after he apologised unconditionally.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque with members Justice Md Shahinur Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi also cautioned Fakrul Islam and told him not to repeat his "conduct".

In response to a petition filed by Fakrul, the tribunal on January 14, 2013 ordered him to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him "for interfering in the tribunal's proceedings".

Fakrul filed the petition in December 2012 against the backdrop of an alleged Skype conversation between the tribunal's former chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq and expatriate legal expert Ahmed Ziauddin.

In the petition, he asked the tribunal to clarify its independence beyond any doubt and state whether any of its members was privy to the alleged Skype conversation or have been in contact with Ziauddin.

The tribunal adjourned the case proceedings multiple times as Fakrul was in jail for over two years in another case filed in October 2013 over the leak of a draft verdict concerning Salauddin.