JU student sent to jail over derogatory posts on July movement

A court has sent Jahangirnagar University student Sharafat Sharik Rohan to jail in a case filed over derogatory Facebook posts about the July uprising protesters.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Mahfuzur Rahman passed the order on Thursday after a hearing on the investigation officer's application. SI Bijoy Devnath confirmed the matter.

Sharafat Sharik Rohan is a student of the 54th batch of Jahangirnagar University's Archaeology Department.

Investigation Officer SI Manash Bhadra of Ashulia Police Station produced Rohan before the court on Thursday in the case filed under the Cyber Security Act and sought to have him placed in jail custody.

The investigation officer's application stated that evidence has been found to substantiate the allegations against Rohan. He is accused of attempting to create instability and spread panic among the public through provocative posts. As he is a permanent resident of another district, his name and address could not be immediately verified, the application added.

The application further stated that Rohan may abscond if released on bail. Therefore, for the sake of a proper investigation, it is necessary to keep him in jail custody until the investigation is completed.

SI Bijoy Devnath said the defence had filed a bail petition. However, the court rejected the bail petition and ordered Rohan to be sent to jail.

Earlier, on Wednesday afternoon, leaders and activists of JUCSU, Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Shakti detained Rohan from Jahangirnagar University's Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque Hall over allegations of posting derogatory content about the July movement. The university administration later handed him over to police.

On Thursday morning, Jahangirnagar University Deputy Registrar (Security) Mohammad Abu Sayeed filed a case against Rohan under the Cyber Security Act with Ashulia Police Station.

The case statement said Rohan is a student of the 2024-25 academic year in the Archaeology Department. On August 5, around 4am, he expressed his feelings through a status on his personal Facebook ID. The status caused anger among the general students of Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque Hall. Later, hall student union leaders detained him. Upon receiving the news, the university administration rescued him and handed him over to police.