SC upholds order to investigate Rajarbagh Pir’s assets and bank accounts

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld an order to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate the assets and bank accounts held by Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif and its Pir Dillur Rahman and submit a report accordingly.

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Obaidul Hasan passed the order after rejecting Pir Dillur Rahman's plea to an earlier High Court order in this regard.

Advocate Zahirul Islam Mukul stood for Rajarbagh Pir while Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir represented the petitioner.

On August 19, the High Court ordered the ACC to investigate the assets and bank accounts held by Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif and its Pir Dillur Rahman and submit a report accordingly.

The court also directed Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) of police to investigate if the Pir has any connection with any militant group.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order issuing a rule during a hearing on the writ petition filed by eight people harassed by false cases filed across the country by the Pir and his followers.

The court also directed the Criminal investigation Department (CID) to submit an investigation report within 60 days on all the false cases filed by the Pir and his followers.

In the rule, the court questioned why legal actions will not be taken against the accused for filing false, confusing and harassing cases making 20 including the senior secretary of the home ministry and police chief respondents.

On September 16, the eight victims filed the writ petition which said the syndicate of Pir Dillur Rahman violated their basic rights bestowed by articles 27, 31, 32 of the constitution in filing the false criminal cases against them.

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 syndicate of the Rajarbagh Pir.

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

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

Being upset Pir and his followers filed number of cases, including violence against women, rape, robbery, human trafficking against Ekramul in different districts.

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