HC stays OC Moazzem's bail plea for 3 months
Earlier, he had been sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment in a case filed under Digital Security Act
The High Court has stayed by three months the bail plea of former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sonagazi Police station Moazzem Hossain, who was convicted under the Digital Security Act for spreading a video clip of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.
The HC bench of Justices Md Habibul Gani and Md Riaz Uddin Khan passed the order on Wednesday.
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Lawyer Murad Reza and Barrister Redwan Ahmed Ranjib moved for the bail petition, while Deputy Attorney General Rezaul Karim represented the state.
On 28 November 2019, a Dhaka court sentenced Moazzem to eight-years of rigorous imprisonment for unlawfully filming the statement of Nusrat – a victim of sexual harassment – and sharing the video on social media.
It also fined Moazzem Tk10 lakh under the Digital Security Act, in lieu of which he must remain in jail for another six months.
OC Moazzem appealed to the High Court challenging the verdict of the lower court.
On 18 March last year, the High Court accepted his appeal for a hearing. He subsequently added a bail petition on that appeal.
On 15 April 2019, Supreme Court lawyer Syeddul Haque Sumon filed a case against Moazzem under the Digital Security Act. Moazzem was withdrawn and later suspended on 10 May.
On April 6, Nusrat was set on fire at an examination centre allegedly by loyalists of the principal of her madrasa after his arrest and subsequent suspension for allegedly sexually harassing her.
She died on 10 April 2019 at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in the capital.
16 people had been sentenced to death for their involvement in setting Nusrat on fire.
