The High Court on Sunday directed the Counter-Terrorism & Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of police to surveil Rajarbagh Pir Dillur Rahman’s activities at all times.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order during a hearing on the CTTC’s investigation report and appeal to bar the Pir and his three associates from leaving the country.
The court granted the investigation agencies permission to put a bar on Pir Dillur Rahman, his associate Sakerul Kabir, Faruqur Rahman and Mofizul Islam from leaving the country if necessary.
The court also said victims of false cases can file a case against the syndicate of Pir found guilty according to an earlier report of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police.
In CTTC’s report submitted today, allegations were brought against the Pir and his syndicate of misleading religious people by issuing Fatwa on killing people of other religions, spreading militancy, religious superstitions, communalism along with some others.
The messages in two monthly and daily publications issued from Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif go against the country’s laws, constitution and the main essence of the liberation war, it said.
They used to spread communal sentiment by demanding to change Gopalganj district’s name to Golapganj, Thakurgaon to Nurgaon, Narayanganj to Nuraniganj and same for some other districts.
The Pir and his syndicate also gave speeches and Fatwa supporting child marriage which is a social disorder, said CTTC in its report.
Meanwhile, petitioner’s lawyer Shishir Monir said he and his family received multiple threats from the Pir’s supporters for taking up the case and informed the court he lodged a General Diary at Shahbagh police station in this regard.
Following this the court directed Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar to take steps to ensure safety of lawyer Shishir Monir.
DAG Bipul Bagmar presented the report to court today while lawyer Shishir Monir and Emadul Haque Bashir appeared for the petitioners. Lawyer Zahir Hossain Mukul represented the defendants and Zahid Hasan Dolon appeared for the Anti-Corruption Commission.
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 a number of cases, including violence against women, rape, robbery, human trafficking against Ekramul in different districts.
On September 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.