NN Online:
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Sunday said that a significant amendment has been made to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to prevent the filing of false cases and protect innocent people from harassment.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy following an advisory council meeting, Dr Nazrul acknowledged that misuse of legal provisions has been a source of embarrassment for the government.
“We are deeply concerned about the issue of fake cases and the financial exploitation of innocent individuals through legal harassment. To address this, we have introduced a key amendment to the CrPC,” he said.
According to the adviser, a new clause — Section 173(a) — has been added. Under this provision, the Commissioner of Police, Superintendent of Police (SP), or any officer of SP rank may instruct the investigation officer to submit a preliminary investigation report to the magistrate. Based on this report, the magistrate can exempt individuals from a case at the pre-trial stage if there is no evidence against them.
Dr Nazrul noted that this move is aimed at speeding up justice and tackling corruption within the investigation process. “In murder cases, investigations often drag on for three to four years, with hundreds of accused, and in some cases, money changes hands unlawfully. This new rule should help curb those practices,” he explained.
He expressed hope that the amendment will foster better coordination between police and the judiciary and reduce the illegal exchange of money linked to wrongful arrests and prosecutions. A gazette notification regarding the new provision is expected to be issued tomorrow.
