The High Court on Wednesday summoned police superintendent of Kushtia, SM Tanvir Arafat, for giving explanation over an allegation that he had misbehaved with a judicial magistrate, Md Mohsin Hasan, during the Bheramara municipality election held on January 16.
The SP has to appear before the HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khizir Hayat on January 25 to submit his explanation.
The bench sent the summon order on a Suo Moto (voluntary) move following a published report, said
deputy attorney general Tahirul Islam.
The court also issued a ruling asking the SP to explain as to why a contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against him for his role with the magistrate. The official has been asked to comply with the ruling within three days.
According to the media reports, judicial magistrate Mohsin Hasan entered the polling centre at Veramara Pilot Model High School in Kushtia upon receiving allegation of irregularities from a voter during the municipality election on January 16. He saw some people along with the polling agents gathered at the centre.
While the judicial magistrate was asking the presiding officer of the polling centre about it, SP Tanvir Arafat along with ASP Mostafizur Rahman and their forces appeared there and called the presiding officer.
Even after the judicial magistrate introduced himself, SP Tanvir Arafat questioned why had he entered the polling station and also asked him to leave, according to the media reports.
Judicial magistrate Mohsin Hasan on January 17 submitted an application to the Election Commission, Supreme Court, home ministry and the IGP to take necessary steps against SP Tanvir Arafat, saying that the SP had misbehaved with him, which is violation of the Local Government Election Rules, 2010, according to the media reports.
In the order the High Court observed, “The behavior and the attitude as well as the uttering by the said Superintendent of Police to an officer of the judiciary who is performing his judicial functions as per the provisions of law and under the guidance of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh amount to serious contempt of court.”
Such behavior of the said Superintendent of Police, Kushtia is a severe attack on the administration of justice and ultimately the entire judiciary, also read the court order.
