Dhaka, Oct 16 (UNB) - The High Court (HC) has issued an order directing
the authorities to conclude the long-pending investigation into the murders of
journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi within six months.
An HC bench, led by Justice
Farah Mahbub, passed the order after releasing a full-fledged verdict on the
formation of a six member high-powered task force to probe the double murders.
On September 30, the HC
ordered the formation of the task force to probe the case that remained unsolved
for 12 years.
The court also directed the
Home Ministry to execute the decision after removing the Rapid Action Battalion
(RAB) from the investigation as the elite force had repeatedly been failing to
submit the probe report.
Earlier, the submission
date of the probe report on the double murders has been deferred for the 114th
time till October 15.
On October 1 this year,
Runi's brother Nowsher filed a petition with a trial court seeking permission
for appointment of nine lawyers to assist the state in the case.
Later, the court appointed
nine lawyers, including Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Monir.
On October 10, Inspector
General of Police (IGP) Md Moinul Islam said police started reinvestigating the
case.
On the night of February
11, 2012, Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi,
senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were brutally murdered in their rented apartment
in West Rajabazar, Dhaka.
Their only son, Mahir
Sarowar Megh (then 5 years old), was present in the house at the time of the
killings.
Runi's brother, Nowsher,
filed a murder case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
Initially, the case was
assigned to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station for investigation. Three days
later, it was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police. After DB
failed to make progress, the case was transferred to RAB on April 18, 2012.
Police arrested Tanvir
Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. Later, he secured
bail in 2014.
The seven other suspects
are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Abu Syed, Mintu alias Baggira Mintu alias Masum
Mintu, Quamrul Hasan alias Arun, security guard Enam Ahmed alias Humayun Kabir
and Palash Rudra Pal.
Out of the eight people
arrested in connection with the case, two were granted bail, while the others
are in jail.
RAB Additional SP Khandaker
Md Shafiqul Alam was appointed as the seventh investigation officer in the case
on July 7, 2019.
End/UNB/Corr/SU/SAM/1135
hrs