Former Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim, who is facing a staggering 120 cases on various charges, has filed petitions for withdrawal of 65 of them, the highest number of appeals filed by an individual.Selim's counsel Pran Nath told The Daily Star that on Selim's directive he is preparing to file petitions for withdrawal of the remaining cases. "In a couple of days, I will file petitions for withdrawal of another 20 cases," he said.He said the AL leader faces 120 cases while another 17 cases were disposed of through "mutual understanding" between the plaintiffs and the defendant.Officials at the Dhaka district magistrate's office said over 1,500 petitions have been filed since the government declared that it would withdraw cases filed with "political motives".The charges Selim is facing include murder, attempt to murder, extortion, theft, holding unlawful assembly, and obstructing police from discharge duties. Most of the 65 cases Selim has appealed for withdrawal were filed during the tenure of the last BNP-led alliance government.Selim, who was elected MP on AL ticket in the June 12, 1996 election in Lalbagh constituency, allegedly patronised building up of a cadre group and if he is acquitted of the large number of charges, it will exceed the previous record.Former BNP lawmaker of Lalbagh constituency Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu, political rival of Selim, was given acquittal in 76 lawsuits during the BNP-led alliance government's rule, sources at the metropolitan public prosecutor's office said.Selim, also joint secretary general of Dhaka city unit of AL, was sent to jail on Wednesday after he surrendered before a Dhaka court in connection with a corruption case in which he was convicted for 13 years' imprisonment in absentia.Selim was once the ward commissioner of Lalbagh area from BNP but he left the party after being deprived of nomination and joined the AL prior to the June 12, 1996 parliamentary elections.He lost the October 2001 parliamentary election to Pintu.Of the 65 cases, Selim faces three cases for killing, seven for theft, one for extortion, 10 for attempting to murder, 28 for holding unlawful assembly and damaging vehicles, nine for obstructing the work of the police and seven for keeping illegal arms.The cases were filed under the law and order disruption act, Special Powers Act, arms and explosive substances act, company act, Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the penal code with different police stations.Terming the cases "fake" in his petitions filed with the Dhaka district magistrate, Haji Selim said the cases were filed against him and his political colleagues with political motives to harass them."The government has decided to withdraw false cases with political motives. Following the government's decision, the cases filed against me and my political colleagues need to be withdrawn," Selim said in his petitions.The Dhaka district magistrate has been sending the petitions to Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu for his opinion. Abdullah Abu is scrutinising the petitions and returning them to the district magistrate's office, which will forward the opinions to the home ministry.The government has already formed a high-powered committee to review the petitions for withdrawal of the cases after receiving them from the home ministry. After scrutiny, the metropolitan public prosecutor will file petitions with the courts concerned, seeking permission for withdrawal of the cases.
Haji Selim grapples with legal blitz
Settles 17 cases through 'mutual understanding'; 120 cases still pending
Former Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim, who is facing a staggering 120 cases on various charges, has filed petitions for withdrawal of 65 of them, the highest number of appeals filed by an individual.Selim's counsel Pran Nath told The Daily Star that on Selim's directive he is preparing to file petitions for withdrawal of the remaining cases. "In a couple of days, I will file petitions for withdrawal of another 20 cases," he said.He said the AL leader faces 120 cases while another 17 cases were disposed of through "mutual understanding" between the plaintiffs and the defendant.Officials at the Dhaka district magistrate's office said over 1,500 petitions have been filed since the government declared that it would withdraw cases filed with "political motives".The charges Selim is facing include murder, attempt to murder, extortion, theft, holding unlawful assembly, and obstructing police from discharge duties. Most of the 65 cases Selim has appealed for withdrawal were filed during the tenure of the last BNP-led alliance government.Selim, who was elected MP on AL ticket in the June 12, 1996 election in Lalbagh constituency, allegedly patronised building up of a cadre group and if he is acquitted of the large number of charges, it will exceed the previous record.Former BNP lawmaker of Lalbagh constituency Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu, political rival of Selim, was given acquittal in 76 lawsuits during the BNP-led alliance government's rule, sources at the metropolitan public prosecutor's office said.Selim, also joint secretary general of Dhaka city unit of AL, was sent to jail on Wednesday after he surrendered before a Dhaka court in connection with a corruption case in which he was convicted for 13 years' imprisonment in absentia.Selim was once the ward commissioner of Lalbagh area from BNP but he left the party after being deprived of nomination and joined the AL prior to the June 12, 1996 parliamentary elections.He lost the October 2001 parliamentary election to Pintu.Of the 65 cases, Selim faces three cases for killing, seven for theft, one for extortion, 10 for attempting to murder, 28 for holding unlawful assembly and damaging vehicles, nine for obstructing the work of the police and seven for keeping illegal arms.The cases were filed under the law and order disruption act, Special Powers Act, arms and explosive substances act, company act, Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the penal code with different police stations.Terming the cases "fake" in his petitions filed with the Dhaka district magistrate, Haji Selim said the cases were filed against him and his political colleagues with political motives to harass them."The government has decided to withdraw false cases with political motives. Following the government's decision, the cases filed against me and my political colleagues need to be withdrawn," Selim said in his petitions.The Dhaka district magistrate has been sending the petitions to Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu for his opinion. Abdullah Abu is scrutinising the petitions and returning them to the district magistrate's office, which will forward the opinions to the home ministry.The government has already formed a high-powered committee to review the petitions for withdrawal of the cases after receiving them from the home ministry. After scrutiny, the metropolitan public prosecutor will file petitions with the courts concerned, seeking permission for withdrawal of the cases.
Former Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim, who is facing a staggering 120 cases on various charges, has filed petitions for withdrawal of 65 of them, the highest number of appeals filed by an individual.Selim's counsel Pran Nath told The Daily Star that on Selim's directive he is preparing to file petitions for withdrawal of the remaining cases. "In a couple of days, I will file petitions for withdrawal of another 20 cases," he said.He said the AL leader faces 120 cases while another 17 cases were disposed of through "mutual understanding" between the plaintiffs and the defendant.Officials at the Dhaka district magistrate's office said over 1,500 petitions have been filed since the government declared that it would withdraw cases filed with "political motives".The charges Selim is facing include murder, attempt to murder, extortion, theft, holding unlawful assembly, and obstructing police from discharge duties. Most of the 65 cases Selim has appealed for withdrawal were filed during the tenure of the last BNP-led alliance government.Selim, who was elected MP on AL ticket in the June 12, 1996 election in Lalbagh constituency, allegedly patronised building up of a cadre group and if he is acquitted of the large number of charges, it will exceed the previous record.Former BNP lawmaker of Lalbagh constituency Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu, political rival of Selim, was given acquittal in 76 lawsuits during the BNP-led alliance government's rule, sources at the metropolitan public prosecutor's office said.Selim, also joint secretary general of Dhaka city unit of AL, was sent to jail on Wednesday after he surrendered before a Dhaka court in connection with a corruption case in which he was convicted for 13 years' imprisonment in absentia.Selim was once the ward commissioner of Lalbagh area from BNP but he left the party after being deprived of nomination and joined the AL prior to the June 12, 1996 parliamentary elections.He lost the October 2001 parliamentary election to Pintu.Of the 65 cases, Selim faces three cases for killing, seven for theft, one for extortion, 10 for attempting to murder, 28 for holding unlawful assembly and damaging vehicles, nine for obstructing the work of the police and seven for keeping illegal arms.The cases were filed under the law and order disruption act, Special Powers Act, arms and explosive substances act, company act, Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the penal code with different police stations.Terming the cases "fake" in his petitions filed with the Dhaka district magistrate, Haji Selim said the cases were filed against him and his political colleagues with political motives to harass them."The government has decided to withdraw false cases with political motives. Following the government's decision, the cases filed against me and my political colleagues need to be withdrawn," Selim said in his petitions.The Dhaka district magistrate has been sending the petitions to Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu for his opinion. Abdullah Abu is scrutinising the petitions and returning them to the district magistrate's office, which will forward the opinions to the home ministry.The government has already formed a high-powered committee to review the petitions for withdrawal of the cases after receiving them from the home ministry. After scrutiny, the metropolitan public prosecutor will file petitions with the courts concerned, seeking permission for withdrawal of the cases.
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