Partha's discharge petition hearing on Jan 5
Court Correspondent
Lawyers yesterday submitted a petition for discharging Saibal Saha Partha, arrested on suspicion of e-mailing the Prothom Alo with a threat to kill the Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina.Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge (in-charge) Rabiul Hassan fixed January 5, 2005 for hearing on the issue. Partha, produced before the court yesterday under tight security, told The Daily Star that he has been suffering from pain in the waist due to torture in remand. Intelligence agencies took Partha into their custody on August 25 and handed him over to Dhanmondi police on August 29. CID (Criminal Investigation Department) Inspector Shafiqul Islam filed a case with Dhanmondi Police Station the same day accusing Partha of undercover destructive activities. The e-mail to the Bangla daily sent on August 23 from the address hikmatulzihad@yahoo.com claimed responsibility for the August 21 carnage on an Awami League (AL) rally that left 23 people killed and over 200 hurt. It also threatened to kill AL chief and Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina in a more planned way in seven days after the gory episode. The investigation officer pressed charges against Partha on September 8, showing 12 people as prosecution witnesses. On September 15, Partha was shown arrested in the August 21 grenade attacks case filed by Motijheel police. Advocate Khondaker Abdul Mannan of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast) conducted the case on behalf of Partha.
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