Ex-Chief Justice Khairul Haque seeks bail in two more murder cases

Former Chief Justice A B M Khairul Haque has filed bail petitions in the High Court in connection with two additional murder cases linked to the July movement.

A High Court bench comprising Justice K M Zahid Sarwar Kajol and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher will hold the hearing on the petitions today (May 12).

According to court sources, Khairul Haque had earlier secured bail in five separate cases, including a youth activist murder case, allegations related to a verdict manipulation in the caretaker government judgment, and a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission. His bail orders were later upheld by the Appellate Division.

He was arrested on 24 July last year from his residence in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Following the arrest, he was shown arrested in a case over the killing of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum Ahad in Jatrabari during the July protests.

Subsequently, several other cases were filed against him, including allegations of tampering with the interim government verdict in Shahbagh Police Station and two separate cases in Fattullah and Bandar police stations.

The ACC also filed a case against him over alleged plot irregularities.

After being denied bail in lower courts, Khairul Haque moved the High Court, which granted bail in four cases, while he also obtained bail in the ACC case. The state later sought a stay from the Appellate Division, but the petition was rejected by a bench led by the Chief Justice on 28 April.

Despite earlier relief, he was shown arrested in two further murder cases filed with Jatrabari and Mirpur police stations, prompting the latest bail applications before the High Court.

Khairul Haque was appointed the 19th Chief Justice of Bangladesh on September 27, 2010. He retired on May 17 the following year and later served three terms as Chairman of the Law Commission.