National

Verdict in Abrar murder case deferred to Dec 8

A court today deferred till December 8 the delivery of the verdict of BUET student Abrar Fahad murder case. 

Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Abu Jafar Kazmruzzaman set the new date on Sunday.  

The twenty-two accused were produced before the court but the judge said the verdict is not ready. 

On November 14, the tribunal fixed today for delivering the verdict after arguments from the both sides concluded. 

On November 13, 2019, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court took into cognizance the charge sheet in the case filed by Detective Branch (DB) of police against 25 accused. The case was later transferred to the speedy trial tribunal, allowing a plea of Abrar’s father.

The tribunal on September 15, 2020, had framed charges against all 25 accused in the case.

The 25 accused are - Mehedi Hasan Russel, Anik Sarker, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, Md Mehedi Hasan Robin, Md Meftahul Islam Jeon, Muntassir Alam Jemmy, Khandaker Tabakkharul Islam Tanvir, Md Muzahidur Rahman, Muhtasim Fuad, Md Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Akash Hossain, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Md Mazedul Islam, Shamim Billah, Moaj Abu Hurayra, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Istiak Ahammed Munna, Amit Saha, Md Mizanur Rahman alias Mizan, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, SM Mahmud Setu, Morsheduzzaman Jisan, Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim, Morshed Amatya Islam and Mostaba Rafid. Of these, Jisan, Rafid and Tanim are yet to be arrested and are tried in absentia.

According to the police, of the 25 accused, 11 took part in the gruesome murder directly and the other played role in the crime one way or another. Of those arrested, eight have given confessional statements before the court.

BUET students and the varsity authorities found the seemingly lifeless body of Abrar, 22, on first-floor stairs of Sher-e-Bangla Hall and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared him dead around 6.30 am on October 7, 2019.

He was allegedly beaten to death by a couple of leaders of the then BUET unit of Chhatra League over his posts on Facebook.

Abrar’s father filed the case with Chawkbazar Police Station against 19. 

Later police included names of the other accused after finding their involvement during the probe.