While thousands seek legitimate justice for the fallen and injured of the July uprising, a disturbing trend of “bogus” litigation is muddying the waters.
New data from the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) reveals that a significant portion of cases filed in the wake of the anti-discrimination student movement are built on false information, political vendettas, and personal feuds.
According to PBI data, many cases filed both at police stations and directly in courts contain fake allegations and even fictitious defendants. During investigations, large numbers of accused individuals are being cleared as their involvement cannot be substantiated.
The PBI has taken a leading role in scrutinising the legal aftermath of the July uprising, handling a total of 273 cases linked to the movement.
Of the 163 investigations finalised to date, the results reveal a complex landscape where the pursuit of justice often intersects with misinformation.
While 63 per cent of these cases, totalling 103 incidents, were verified as true, a significant 37 per cent, or 60 cases, remained unproven.
Perhaps most concerning is that 14 of these cases were exposed as complete fabrications, suggesting that the legal system is being leveraged for reasons beyond simple accountability.
This trend of misinformation is most acute in Complaint Register (CR) cases, which are filed directly with magistrate courts rather than through local police stations.
In a sample of 84 such cases involving a massive pool of 8,023 accused individuals, the PBI found a staggering discrepancy: 62.79 per cent, representing 5,000 people, were falsely implicated.
Only 37.21 per cent of those accused in these court-filed cases were actually proven guilty. This suggests a systemic issue where large groups of people are being named in lawsuits without substantial evidence, often leading to significant legal distress for innocent parties.
The breakdown of why these cases fail to shed light on the motives behind the filings. An analysis of 22 unproven CR cases identified several recurring themes of bad faith or procedural collapse.
The most common issue was the fabrication of events, with 7 cases based on entirely false incidents. Additionally, 6 cases fell apart because the plaintiffs were missing or non-existent, while 4 cases involved plaintiffs who were either coerced into suing against their will or simply refused to cooperate with investigators.
Personal vendettas also played a role, with 3 cases rooted in prior enmity or family feuds and 2 cases specifically targeting members of the student community, further complicating the movement’s legacy.
A deeper analysis shows that cases filed directly with magistrates, known as Complaint Register (CR) cases, have a higher rate of false information. In 84 such cases reviewed by the PBI, eight involved murder allegations, naming a staggering 8,023 accused.
However, only 2,986 individuals, or 37.21 per cent, were found to have credible involvement, while nearly 63 per cent were cleared during investigation. Investigating officers have already submitted reports recommending acquittal for those found not guilty.
Among 22 unresolved CR cases, investigators found troubling patterns: six plaintiffs could not be traced, three cases stemmed from prior enmity, two targeted student groups, seven were based on fabricated incidents, and four collapsed due to lack of evidence or non-cooperation from plaintiffs, some of whom were allegedly pressured into filing cases.
Meanwhile, 102 cases, about 37 per cent of the total, remain under investigation.
In a separate review of 19 General Register (GR) cases filed through police stations, 710 individuals were accused. Of them, 389 faced substantiated allegations, while 321 were acquitted, reflecting a roughly 55 to 45 per cent split.
PBI Superintendent of Police Md Abu Yusuf said that while many cases stem from genuine killings linked to the movement, a large number are baseless.
“Some cases have no real existence. In many instances, plaintiffs cannot be located or their statements do not match the incident,” he said, adding that several cases have been withdrawn during investigation.
In fact, 28 cases have already been withdrawn by plaintiffs.
Investigators said withdrawals were driven by relocation, financial concerns, out-of-court settlements, or the exposure of false claims that created administrative confusion.
One case filed over the death of one Abu Sayeed near the Sreepur Flyover in Gazipur illustrates the problem. The plaintiff named 167 accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and senior Awami League leaders.
Upon receiving the court’s directive, the investigation was assigned to PBI Sub-Inspector Shah Kamal. However, just days into the probe, the plaintiff, Rafiqul Islam, abruptly withdrew the case.
SI Shah Kamal confirmed to TIMES that the withdrawal occurred shortly after the investigation commenced, following a court order to submit the case files. He stated plainly that the investigation ultimately revealed the entire case was false.
An analysis of a case at Ashulia Police Station uncovered a chilling attempt at legal fraud: a murder case was filed using the national identity card (NID) of a man who had already passed away.
The suit named 107 individuals as accused, but as the investigation unfolded, the foundation of the case evaporated. Investigation officer Ahsan Ullah told the Times that upon verifying the details, he found no match between the listed plaintiff’s name or address and reality.
Most of the accused individuals’ information was similarly fabricated. The deception was finally confirmed when a search of the NID database revealed that the supposed plaintiff had died long before the charges were ever brought to court.
Families of those killed in July have expressed anger over what they describe as exploitation of their loss.
Zardaz Parveen, mother of Shaheed Ahnaf, said the false cases are tarnishing the movement and demanded action against those responsible. “We want justice for the guilty, not punishment for innocent people,” she said.
Echoing similar concerns, Masud Ahmed, father of Shaheed Sayem, alleged that some individuals have used the movement to extort money or pursue personal gain.
Ali Ahmed, brother of Shaheed Rohan, urged stricter scrutiny before cases are accepted.
Legal experts say many of these cases are unlikely to stand in court.
Lawyer Morshed Hossain Shahin said cases are often filed with ulterior motives, including harassment, financial gain or forcing opponents out of certain areas, before being withdrawn through compromise.
Advocate Farzana Yasmin Rakhi warned of the human cost, noting that many innocent individuals have already spent months in prison before being cleared. She called for stricter preliminary verification before cases are accepted.
Human rights lawyer Manzil Morshed, also President of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), said the scale of allegations is often unrealistic.
“In some cases, hundreds of individuals, including top political figures, are named in a single incident. It is clear such cases will not stand in law,” he said, alleging that vested interests exploited the situation.
Dhaka City Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi also pointed to organised groups behind the trend. “A syndicate has filed false cases to mislead people and serve vested interests. Investigations are ongoing, and the innocent are being cleared,” he said.
As investigations continue, the growing number of false cases is emerging as a major obstacle, delaying justice for genuine victims while burdening the legal system with thousands of unfounded allegations.
