The state filed an appeal Sunday, seeking a stay order on the bail granted to Ayesha Siddika Minni by the High Court, in the case over the murder of her husband Rifat Sharif.
The vacation court of a chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is likely to hear the petition Monday.
Earlier on Sunday, the High Court released the seven-page-long full text of its judgment that granted Minni a bail. The release of the verdict has cleared the way for the authorities concerned to take necessary steps for Minni’s release from a Barguna jail.
Minni’s lawyer Mahbubul Bari Aslam said: “I hope my client will be released from jail when the judgment reaches the related court in Barguna.
On August 29, the High Court granted bail to Minni on the condition that she remains in her father’s custody, and does not speak to the media.
The court also said her bail would be cancelled if she violated the conditions.
When granting the bail to Minni, the court expressed annoyance with Barguna Superintendent of Police Maruf Hossain, for announcing to the media that Minni had confessed to being involved in Rifat’s murder. The court also asked the government to formulate a guideline on how much information on an arrested person’s involvement in a case can be revealed to the press while the investigation is in progress.
The High Court granted the bail considering several situations: Minni’s name was not included in the FIR (First Information Report) of the case; she was detained for a long time in the local police lines before arrest, she was not allowed to appoint a lawyer for herself before she was produced before the court; and the Barguna SP said Minni had been involved in the killing of Rifat before her confession to a magistrate.
On August 20, the High Court issued a ruling asking the government to explain within a week why Minni should not be granted bail in the case.
On the same day, the court also issued a show-cause notice against the Barguna SP, to explain why he briefed the media on Minni’s involvement in the murder before her confessional statement was recorded by a magistrate.
The High Court also ordered Barguna Sadar police station Inspector Md Humayun Kabir, who is investigating the case, to submit all documents on Thursday.
Rifat was hacked to death on June 26 on a Barguna road in front of Minni. A video of Minni's desperate attempts to save her husband went viral on social media.
The following day, Rifat’s father Dulal Sharif filed a murder case accusing 12 people.
The case took a dramatic turn after Dulal pointed fingers at Minni. She was interrogated at the Barguna SP’s office.
She was later arrested as “initial evidence” pointed to her involvement in the killing, the SP said.
