A former judge has filed a defamation case against seven people, including Channel 24 Managing Director AK Azad, accusing them of broadcasting false and defamatory news about him.

The case was filed on Monday by Md Ariful Islam, a former Joint District and Sessions Judge of Lalmonirhat who is currently under temporary suspension, with the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah in Dhaka.

After recording the complainant's statement, the court directed the Detective Branch (DB) of police to investigate the case.

Azizur Rahman Dulu, a lawyer for the complainant (Ariful Islam, the suspended judge), confirmed the matter.

He said Channel 24 had broadcast a false report over a land dispute between the complainant's late father-in-law and step-uncle-in-law, which allegedly led to misleading publicity about the judge's suspension.

The lawyer said Ariful had earlier served a legal notice demanding an apology, but the accused did not respond with an apology, prompting him to file the case. He also said the complainant would file another case seeking compensation.

The other accused are Faisal Alam, editor of Channel 24's investigative programme 'Searchlight'; Executive Director Zahirul Alam; Head of Multimedia Rajib Khan; Assignment Editor Maksud Un Nabi; Senior News Editor Tuhin Kayum; and news reporter Zahid Hossain.

According to the complaint, Channel 24 aired a report titled 'Case exists, but complainant and witnesses missing: Sensational findings in investigation surrounding judge' on its regular news bulletin and 9pm investigative programme 'Searchlight' on October 9.

The complainant (i.e. the suspended judge) alleged that his statements were edited and presented in a distorted manner with malicious intent.

He was temporarily suspended by the Law and Justice Division on October 15.

The complaint further stated that a departmental case was initiated against him over allegations of inefficiency and misconduct under the Judicial Service (Discipline) Rules, 2017, following a complaint by Md Solaiman, a former District and Sessions Judge of Shariatpur who is now serving as a judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Magura.

He was temporarily suspended pending an investigation into the allegations.

The complainant claimed that reports suggesting his suspension resulted from Channel 24's broadcast were entirely false, fabricated and defamatory.

He also submitted a pen drive to the court as evidence of the alleged distortion of his statements.