Shillong, Oct 15: The judgment on former Bangladesh Minister and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Salahuddin Ahmed that was to be delivered on Monday was again deferred to October 26.

The verdict was fixed to be delivered on October 26 by the court of judicial magistrate (first class).

This was the fourth time that the court had fixed for delivering its judgment on an alleged trespassing of Ahmed into Indian territory.

Though the court had listed on Monday (October 15) for delivering the verdict, but the matter was deferred to October 26 due to absence of a public prosecutor.

The day for delivering the final judgment was first fixed on August 13.

It was on May 11, 2015, that Ahmed was spotted in Golf Link area here around 5.30 am. Police said that people informed them that an individual was “suspiciously and aimlessly” moving in the area. That time, Ahmed was first taken to the Meghalaya Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (MIMHANS), Lawmali here after the Meghalaya police found him not speaking comprehensibly, when they questioned him.

But at MIMHANS, Ahmed was found to be mentally sound, and referred him to Shillong Civil Hospital for treatment.

After thorough interrogation, Ahmed was arrested on May 12, 2015 by the Meghalaya police for not having valid documents.

Ahmed was allegedly kidnapped in Bangladesh on March 10, 2015. He claimed that he was kidnapped in Bangladesh, but did not know about how he landed in Shillong (on May 11, 2015). How Ahmed went missing, and who had brought him to Shillong remains a mystery.

The court has framed the charges against Ahmed under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946, for surfacing in India (Shillong) without valid documents.

He was granted bail on June 5, 2015.

Ahmed had served as communications minister in the BNP government led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from 2001 to 2006.