Staff Reporter :The High Court on Monday rejected the bail plea filed by Awami League MP Manjurul Islam Liton and asked him to surrender to the lower court at Gaibandha on or before October 18 in cases filed for shooting a minor boy and vandalism. The order was passed in presence of the MP from Gaibandha-1 Constituency. He answered a summons of the court about two and half hours after the summons was issued in the morning. The bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Bhishmadeb Chakraborty issued the summons and asked Liton to surrender to the trial court after a hearing on the bail petition.MP Liton stands accused in two cases on charge of shooting a 10-year old boy, and vandalizing and looting. He has been traceless since the lawsuits were filed.His lawyers filed the bail petition with the HC on Sunday on his behalf, seeking anticipatory bail in the two cases. Barrister Moksedul Islam moved the bail plea on Monday. When Moksedul Islam stood for MP Liton in the court in the morning, the HC bench ordered the ruling party MP to appear in the court by 1:00 pm. The MP responded to the court’s order. But his bail petition was rejected.Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, who argued against Liton’s bail, said that they would file an appeal against the HC verdict seeking immediate arrest of Liton. The order might put law enforcers in confusion regarding Liton’s arrest, he added. However, lawyers said that there was no legal bar to arrest MP Liton since the HC did not say anything in this regard specifically.On October 2, Shahadat Hossain Sourav, a class IV student of Gopalcharan Govt Primary School at Sundarganj upazila, was shot in his legs by MP Liton for “no reason”. The boy was rushed to Sundarganj Upazila Health Complex and then shifted to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital.The victim’s father Saju Mia filed a case with Sundarganj Police Station against the MP on October 3 for attempting to kill his minor son. Liton went into hiding when the case was filed.On October 8, another case was filed against Liton on charge of vandalism and looting. Besides, the licences of two firearms of the MP were cancelled.Law enforcers have repeatedly been claiming that they could not trace Liton. But, Liton appeared in the HC soon after summons was issued. He walked off the court premises. Meanwhile, the October 2 incident triggered protests among the people, including the ruling party men. Different socio-political organisations brought out protest processions in Dhaka and Gaibandha in the last few days, demanding arrest and punishment of the MP. The leaders and workers of the Awami League and the local people want legal and organisational action against Liton. On the other hand, followers of MP Liton formed human chain in Gaibandha demanding withdrawal of ‘false’ cases filed against the MP.
