Menon, Inu, Manik granted bail in case over defamatory remarks on Ziaur Rahman
A Dhaka court has granted bail to former ministers Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haq Inu and former Supreme Court justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik in a defamation case filed over alleged derogatory remarks about former president Ziaur Rahman.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Raunak Jahan Taki passed the order today (24 March) following a hearing, confirmed Deputy Commissioner of the police's Prosecution Division Mia Mohammad Ashis Bin Hasan.
According to court sources, the three accused were produced before the court from jail in connection with the case. During the hearing, an application was filed to show Inu as arrested in the case, which the court granted.
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The other two accused, Menon and Manik, had earlier been shown arrested in the case on 21 January.
At the hearing, defence lawyers for the three accused sought bail. After hearing both sides, the court granted their petitions.
On 22 August 2024, the case was filed by lawyer Ziaul Haque. The court subsequently took cognisance of the matter and directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct an inquiry.
According to the complaint, Manik, while participating in a talk show on a television channel on 3 October 2022, made derogatory comments on Ziaur Rahman. A similar incident happened at a seminar on 15 February 2021.
The complaint further alleges that on 19 July 2013, at two separate events, Inu and Menon made derogatory remarks about Ziaur Rahman.
It also claims that the accused, at various times, made adverse and defamatory statements about the Zia family.
