… and to cancel the defendant’s bail
Nim Dorji | Trongsa
Trongsa police requested the dzongkhag court to issue an injunction order to stop the distribution of a book titled ‘Turning point’, which was written by a former lecturer of the College of Language and Cultural Studies (CLCS) in Taktse, Trongsa.
The lecturer is one of the defendants police charged to court for sexual molestation of students in the college.
Police stated that the 128 paged book, which was launched on December 29, is the defendant’s version of the ongoing case with distorted facts and that it would impact public opinion.
Police also stated that since the case is still ongoing, writing the book and distributing it should be considered sub-judice and a contempt of court should be issued. Police requested court to take suo moto action as deemed necessary.
According to police, the defendant is on conditional bail that he is not allowed to write about the case undermining other parties involved but by writing and publishing the book related to the ongoing case, he breached section 102. 1 A and 199.4 C of the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code of Bhutan.
Police, therefore, requested the court to cancel the defendant’s bail.
While Section 102.1 A states that a person may be subjected to civil or criminal sanction in accordance with the laws of contempt for interfering with a case, either orally or in writing, section 199.4. C states a person released on bail shall be required to abstain from making any inducement, threat or promise, directly or indirectly to a person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade the person from disclosing such facts to the court or police.
Police stated that the defendant, by writing about the case and publishing the book when the case is ongoing, proves that he has no respect for the law.
Police also submitted to the court that although the author has mentioned that the book is based on true facts, the book’s content is about how police mistreated him while investigating, which are not true. “It misleads public opinion and also defames police.”
According to police submission, the injunction order should be issued until the judgment of the case is rendered as per the provisions of CCPC.
Meanwhile, the court has asked police to file a defamation case against the defendant if the book has defamed police.
The defendant will submit his clarification today.