Probe into Rajarbagh Pir’s assets, militancy link to continue 

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a High Court order that directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to find out all assets held by Rajarbagh Darbar Shareef and its Pir Dillur Rahman across the country.

An Appellate Division bench also endorsed the HC order to Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit of police to investigate whether there is any militant organisation under the name of Ulama Anjuman Bayyinat or any other under the auspices of the Pir and his patrons. 

The apex court also upheld the HC order that directed the additional inspector general of police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to identify the persons involved in various harassment cases against aggrieved petitioners and take necessary legal action.

A four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Imman Ali passed the order after dismissing a leave to appeal by Rajarbagh Darbar Shareef seeking a stay on the High Court order.

Lawyer Murad Reza appeared for the leave application while ZI Khan Panna and Mohammad Shishir Monir stood for the victims. 

Upon a writ petition, on 19 September the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman asked the authorities concerned to submit reports by November 30 after investigating the Pir's properties, his possible militant involvement, and harassment cases.

When Pir Dillur Rahman filed the leave to appeal application on October 11 seeking a stay on the High Court order, the chamber judge sent it to the Appellate Division for hearing.

On 16 September, eight families filed a writ petition with the HC, seeking its intervention in cases filed by the Pir and his disciples across the country.

The families claimed the cases were lodged to "harass them and to grab their properties".

Lawyer Shishir Monir moved for the eight petitioners that include a seven-year-old child, a woman, a freedom fighter, a madrasa teacher, a businessman, and so on.  

Earlier on June 7, Ekramul Ahsan Kanchan, 55, resident of Shantibagh area in Dhaka filed a writ petition before the court to quash the 49 false cases filed against him across the country by a syndicate of the Rajarbagh Pir.

Following this, the High Court directed the CID to investigate the matter.

According to CID's investigation report, the Pir and his syndicate were pressuring Ekramul to hand over a portion of his and his brother's land in the name of the Darbar Sharif, which he denied.

On September 8, upon submission of the report, the High Court expressed surprise over the Pir's syndicate grabbing other's lands and assets.