The High Court today granted bail to Md Sohel Rana, the former chief judicial magistrate of Cumilla, for 30 days three hours after he was sentenced to one month's jail for committing contempt of court by ignoring an HC stay order on the trial of a case.
He was also fined Tk 5,000 in the contempt of court case.
The HC bench of Justice Md Badruzzaman and Justice S M Masud Hossain Dolon passed the order following a petition filed by him seeking bail.
In the bail petition, Sohel rana said he will move an appeal before the Appellate Division against the HC verdict that sentenced him to one month's simple imprisonment for contempt of court.
Sohel's lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque told that his client need not surrender before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka in Dhaka following the HC order of bail.
The ministry concerned will take necessary decision about his service after receiving the certified copy of the HC verdict, the lawyer added.
While delivering the verdict, the court also ordered Sohel Rana, who was attached to the law ministry as an additional district and sessions judge a few weeks ago, to surrender before the CMM court in seven days.
The HC bench delivered the verdict after hearing of a suo motu contempt of court rule against him.
In the rule, the HC had asked him to explain why he should not be punished for committing contempt of court by ignoring its stay on the trial of a case.
While talking to some Supreme Court lawyers said that the HC sentencing a judicial magistrate for committing contempt of court is "unprecedented".
Sohel Rana's lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque told that his client will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the SC challenging the HC verdict after receiving its full text.
The lawyer said the HC convicted and sentenced his client as he continued the trial proceedings of a case despite the HC's stay order on the case proceedings when he was the chief judicial magistrate of Cumilla in 2021.
Besides, Sohel Rana has used some unnecessary words in his explanation to the HC rule, the lawyer added.
