DHAKA: The High Court Monday stayed for three months the proceedings of a murder case against Advocate Ruhul Kuddus Babu that stood in his way of taking oath as an HC judge.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Habibul Gani passed the order upon a review petition filed by Zinnat Ali, father of the victim Aslam Hossain, on May 2.

The court also issued a rule upon the government and the nine accused to explain within a week why the withdrawal of the case “should not be declared illegal”.

On November 17, 1988, Aslam, a Shibir activist of Rajshahi University, was killed in campus violence.

The case was filed that day with Motihar thana in Rajshahi against 31 suspects in the killing.

The present government acquitted nine of them, including Babu, of the charge.

Advocate Babu, a former pro-JSD student leader, was among 17 nominated as Additional Judges of the High Court by the President on April 11. But Babu and another judge-designate, Khasruzzaman, could not yet take oath.

The two were not sworn in the bench for controversies over their cases. The chief justice administered oath to the rest of the batch on April 18.

Advocate Tajul Islam fought for Babu while Attorney-General Mahbube Alam stood for government.

BDST: 1500 HRS, 26 JULY 2010