A Dhaka court on Thursday sent photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol to jail after the end of a two-day remand in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
A Virtual court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Didar Hossain passed the order after Detective Branch Sub-Inspector Md Rassel Mollah, also the investigation officer of the case produced him before the court after completion of the two-day remand in the case.
During the hearing, the IO said: “The accused gave important information during remand which should not be disclosed for the sake of proper investigation of the case. So, he needs to be in custody for a proper investigation.”
Confirming the matter, Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Ashraf Ali, general recording officer (GRO) of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court in Dhaka, said that no lawyer represented Kajol during the hearing.
Earlier on June 28, Metropolitan Magistrate Devdas Chandra Adhikary granted the two-days remand for interrogating Kajol in the case.
On May 14, Sub-inspector of Detective Branch of police Md Rassel Mollah, also the investigation officer of the case, filed a 10-day remand prayer for quizzing Kajol.
According to case documents, Journo Kajol was accused of committing extortion by obtaining information illegally and publishing false, intimidating, and defamatory information via Facebook Messenger.
The complaint alleged that Kajol had defamed Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and Bangladesh Jubo Mahila League President Nazma Akhter and General Secretary Apu Ukil, among others, by posting false information on social media.
Usmin Ara Bailey, a member of Awami League, filed the case against Kajol under Sections 25, 26, and 29 of the Digital Security Act with Hazaribagh Police Station on March 10.
Usmin Ara Bailey, in her statement, said that she had filed the case after consulting with senior leaders of the ruling party.
After his 53-day disappearance, Kajol was detained by the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at the Benapole border in Jessore on May 3.
The journalist went missing on March 10, a day after the case was filed by Awami League's Magura 1 MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka on March 9.
Detained on the charge of trespassing by the BGB, Kajol was produced before a Jessore court on May 3.
Other cases were also filed against Kajol with Kamrangirchar, and Hazaribagh police stations under the Digital Security Act in March.
