The High Court has rejected bail petition of expelled Sramik League leader Tufan Sarkar of Bogra in a case over the rape of a schoolgirl and subsequent torture of the girl and her mother.
The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman on Wednesday also ordered disposing of the case within six months.
According to the case filed on July 28, 2017, Tufan took the girl to his house at Badurtala in the district town promising to arrange her admission into a local college and raped her there on July 17 that year.
When Tufan's wife and her elder sister came to know about the incident, they along with some associates picked up the girl and her mother from their house.
They allegedly beat the girl and her mother with sticks and cut their hair. At one stage, the offenders had a barber shave their heads.
Later, two cases were filed in this connection.
On October 10 last year, police pressed charges against 13 people — Tufan, his wife Tasmin Rahman alias Asa Sarkar and sister-in-law Bogra municipality councillor Marzia Hasan Rumki, Lovely Rahman Rumi, Munna, Atiqur Rahman Atiq, Ali Ajam Depu, Emarat Alam Khan, Jitu Miah, Samiul Haque Shimul, Mehedi Hasan Rupom, Jaminur Rahman Runu, Jibon Robidas Jatin and Anjuara Begum.
On January 22, Woman and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal had also rejected Tufan's bail plea.
Later, he moved the High Court for bail.
