A Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced a man to death in the sensational murder case of former college teacher Krishna Kaberi Biswas in 2015.
The condemned convict, KM Jahirul Islam Palash, close friend of the family, attempted to murder, and as manager of a broker house named Hazi Ahmed Brothers Securities in Gulshan, was tried in absentia.
Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Judge Shahed Nur Uddin delivered the judgment, while slapping a Tk20 thousand fine to the accused.
Additionally, under section 20 and 7 of the Penal Code, the court sentenced him to life term imprisonment for the attempt to murder Kaberi’s husband and two daughters, leaving them injured.
Under those sections, the court also fined him Tk50,000, and if he defaults, he has to serve one year more in prison.
The court examined a total 23 witnesses out of 33 including the investigating officer, doctor who conducted the postmortem and magistrates who recorded the confessional statements of the accused.
April 20, 2017 the court framed charges against the lone convict accused in the murder case.
Krishna, 36, also the wife of the then BRTA Deputy Director Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas, was a lecturer of social welfare at Mission International College in Mohammadpur.
Palash went to Sitangshu’s flat at Mohammadpur’s Iqbal Road on March 30, 2015 with flowers and gifts to offer him belated greetings for his birthday.
While chatting in the drawing room, Palash gave Sitangshu some sedative-laden juice. 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 with it in the head. 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 when Sitangshu’s brother Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas filed the murder case with the Mohammadpur Police Station.
Palash later surrendered before a Dhaka court and gave confessional statement in the case.
He had later acquired a bail from the High Court, but has been absconding ever since.
Detective Branch of police pressed charges against Palash on May 31, 2016.
