Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar on Sunday filed two separate writ petitions with the High Court for directions upon the government to admit him to hospital and interrogate at the jail gate in August 21 grenade attack case. Babar's wife filed the petitions with the HC on behalf of her husband.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, lawyer for Babar, told The Daily Star that in a writ petition it has been stated that his client is seriously ill and the home ministry has informed it to the jail authorities and his wife, so Babar should be admitted to hospital for treatment. Khokon also said another writ petition sought direction from the HC upon the authorities concerned to interrogate Babar at the jail gate since he is very ill. He said the hearing on the petitions would be held this afternoon.

Earlier on Friday, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took Babar into remand a day after Dhaka First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ehsanul Haque directed the investigation officer of the case to take him on a five-day remand. The court came up with the order after receiving a Supreme Court order. The SC stayed a HC order, which directed the authorities concerned to interrogate Babar at the jail gate, for seven days.

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Muzammel Hossain passed the order after hearing a government petition moved by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam. The judge asked the government to file a regular leave-to-appeal petition with the SC against the HC order within seven days. The attorney general yesterday told The Daily Star that after receiving the SC order, there was no bar to sending Babar on remand. Upon a petition by Babar, the High Court on Wednesday directed the authorities for interrogation at the jail gate in the August 21 grenade attack case, if necessary.

On the same day, the trial court in Dhaka stayed till November 1 an order it had passed earlier in the day placing Babar on a five-day remand. On October 26, Babar was shown arrested in the August 21 grenade attack case. Twenty-three people including Awami League leader Ivy Rahman were killed and 300 others injured in the grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.

-Daily star