Extra 7yrs in Jail: HC seeks info on Alauddin

The High Court yesterday wanted to know the details about Alauddin Gazi, who has allegedly been behind bars illegally for more than seven years after he had served his life-term in prison.

The court asked the Attorney General's Office to get informed whether Alauddin of Shariatpur's Gosairhat upazila has been arrested and is in jail in any other cases. It asked the office to report to the court on June 6.

The bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury passed the order during hearing on a writ petition filed seeking its order on the jail authorities to produce Alauddin before it.

The court also said it will order the authorities to release Alauddin from prison, and action will be taken if he is kept detained illegally.

On May 29, Supreme Court lawyer Bivuti Tarofder filed the petition claiming that Alauddin, now in Barishal jail, was reportedly arrested on January 27, 1993, in connection with a case filed for killing one Selim Miah Dhali on January 25, 1993.

The district and sessions judge's court in Shariatpur on January 12, 2001, sentenced 15 accused, including Alauddin, out of 26 to life imprisonment.

Except for Alauddin, all the convicted were freed following HC orders.

But Alauddin failed to get release from jail due to failure of the authorities concerned, he said in the petition.

Lawyer Bivuti himself moved the petition while Assistant Attorney General Md Selim Azad represented the state during yesterday's hearing.