Dhaka, Aug 20 – After expressing dissatisfaction over the death of accused in police custody and producing of arrestees to media before their trial, the High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking the government to explain within a week why Aysha Siddika Minni should not be granted bail in a case filed over murder of her husband Rifat Sharif.
It also summoned investigation officer of the case to appear before it on August 28 along with the case documents.
“As per the Appellate Division verdict, if wife of a husband will die under his custody, husband has to explain over the murder. If the accused will die under the police custody, who will explain over the matter,” the HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the comments while hearing on a bail petition filed by Minni.
It also asked the superintendent of police (SP) in Barguna to explain within a week why he held a press conference on July 18 saying that Minni was involved in the killing of Rifat Sharif before the investigation is completed and even before recording her confessional statement in this regard.
The HC bench fixed August 28 for hearing the rule.
Earlier on Sunday, Minni filed the petition with the HC seeking bail in a case filed over the murder of her husband Rifat Sharif.
The HC bench on Monday heard initial arguments from both parties and asked the lawyers of Minni to submit a supplementary petition by today including the statements of Superintendent of Police of Barguna that was published in different newspapers after his press briefing over the arrest of Minni and some other documents.
During yesterday’s hearing, Minni’s lawyer Advocate AM Aminuddin prayed to the HC to grant bail to his client on any condition as “she is a 19-yr-old woman and she will not leave the country if she is granted bail”.
On the other hand, Deputy Attorney General Md Sarwar Hussain Bappi opposed the bail petition saying that Minni and four other accused has given “confessional” statement to the magistrate and therefore she cannot be granted bail in this sensational case.
Advocate ZI Khan Panna, another counsel for Minni told the court that police violated the relevant laws in arresting Minni after taking her in the Barguna police line.
Earlier, a Barguna court rejected Minni’s bail petition twice on July 22 and 30 respectively.
After being rejected in the trial court, Minni moved before the HC seeking bail in the case.
Police arrested Minni on July 16 after a day-long interrogation and produced her in the court for remand the following day. No lawyer represented Minni during the remand hearing in the court.
Rifat Sharif, a 25-year-old Internet service provider, was indiscriminately hacked by a group of youths there.
In a video footage of the incident that went viral in the social media, Minni was seen screaming and trying in vain to save her husband from the assailants.
The victim’s father filed a murder case with Barguna Sadar Police Station against 12 people on the same day. – Staff Reporter
