Family friend indicted for Krishna Kaberi murder

A Dhaka court has framed charges against KM Jahirul Islam Palash in the murder of college teacher Krishna Kaberi Bishwas in 2015. Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 indicted Palash after rejecting his discharge petition on Thursday. The court also scheduled the recording of witness deposition on May 25. Palash, who appeared before the court, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the charges were read out to him. Krishna, 36, was the wife of BRTA Deputy Director Sitangshu Shekhar Bishwas and a lecturer of social welfare at Mission International College in Mohammadpur. Palash, who is the manager of a broker house named Hazi Ahmed Brothers Securities in Gulshan, was a friend of Krishna's family. According to the charge sheet, a dispute over share market investment was the reason behind the murder. Palash went to the victim's flat at Mohammadpur’s Iqbal Road on March 30, 2015 with flowers and gifts to offer Sitangshu belated greetings for his birthday. While chatting in the drawing room, Palash gave Sitangshu some juice laced with sedatives that he had brought. As Sitangshu fell unconscious, Palash hit his head with a hammer. When Krishna rushed to the drawing room with a kitchen sickle, Palash snatched it away and struck her in the head with it. When their daughters Srabani Biswas Sruti, 14, and Arti Biswas, 8, went to rescue them, Palash hit the children with the hammer too. Before leaving, Palash switched off the light in the drawing room and set the room on fire. He also threw Krishna into the fire. Krishna died the following day; the same day, Sitangshu’s brother Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas filed the murder case. Palash later surrendered before a Dhaka court and confessed to committing the murder. The Detective Branch of police pressed charges against Palash on May 31 last year.