The High Court has set September 24 to hear order on a revision case which challenges the accuracy, legality and rationality of proceedings of an abduction case.
A schoolgirl who was presumed abducted, raped and murdered (according to the confessional statements of the accused) turned out to be alive 51 days after the abduction case was filed with Narayanganj Sadar police station.
The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman set the date after hearing the revision case on Thursday.
The two investigation officers (IO), who were summoned by the court on August 27, were also present during the hearing. The new IO came with the case documents while the first IO, Sub Inspector (SI) Shamim Al Mamun, submitted a written explanation before the court.
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Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir stood for the revision case filed on August 25. He suggested the court to allow defence lawyers to be present during confessional statements made under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Meanwhile, senior lawyer Advocate Mansurul Haque Chowdhury stood for SI Shamim and said police is taking departmental action against the already suspended investigation officer.
With the court’s permission, Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker commented on the responsibilities of police and magistrates.
The revision case
Advocate Shishir filed the case on behalf of five other Supreme Court lawyers -- Md Asad Uddin, Md Zobaidur Rahman, Md Ashraful Islam, Md Al Reza Amir and Md Misbah Uddin.
The magistrate, the superintendent of police, the officer in charge of Narayanganj Sadar Model police station, the investigation officer of the case, the plaintiff Jahangir Hossain (father of the girl) and the three accused -- Abdullah, Rakib and Khalil --- were all made respondents to the revision.
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Following a case filed at Narayanganj Sadar Model police station over the abduction of a teenage girl, police arrested three suspects and sent them to jail.
The trio made confessional statements to the effect that they had thrown the girl's body in the Shitalakhya river after raping and murdering her.
Meanwhile, the families of the accused alleged that the arrestees had been tortured so much by the police officials of Narayanganj Sadar model police station that they were forced to confess to crimes that they did not commit.
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They also claimed that they were forced to cough up at least Tk47,000 as bribes to Narayanganj Sadar model police station SI Shamim, the former investigation officer (IO) of the abduction case, to ensure the well-being of the suspects.
On August 23, however, the girl’s safe return home immediately invalidated the confessional statements and raised questions about how the false confessions of the rape and murder had been obtained.
The 15-year old is currently with her family, according to Narayanganj Sadar police.
