The High Court has issued an order directing the authorities concerned to conclude the long-pending investigation into the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi within six months.
A High Court bench, led by Justice Farah Mahbub, passed the order after releasing a full-fledged verdict on the formation of a six-member high-powered task force to probe the double murders.
On September 30, the court ordered the formation of a task force to investigate the case that has remained unsolved for 12 years.
The court also directed the Home Ministry to implement the decision, removing the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from the investigation, as the elite force had repeatedly failed to submit the probe report.
Earlier, the submission date of the probe report on the double murders was deferred for the 114th time, with the new deadline set for Tuesday.
On October 1, Runi’s brother Nowsher filed a petition in a trial court seeking permission to appoint nine lawyers to assist the state in the case.
Subsequently, the court appointed nine lawyers, including Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Manir.
On October 10, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Mainul Islam announced that the police had begun reinvestigating the case.
On the night of February 11, 2012, Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were brutally murdered in their rented apartment in West Rajabazar, Dhaka.
Their only son, Mahir Sarowar Megh, who was five years old at the time, was present in the house during the killings.
Runi’s brother, Nowsher, filed a murder case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station.
Initially, the case was assigned to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police for investigation. Three days later, it was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police. After the DB failed to make progress, the case was transferred to RAB on April 18, 2012.
Police arrested Tanvir Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. He later secured bail in 2014.
The seven other suspects are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Abu Syed, Mintu alias Baggira Mintu alias Masum Mintu, Quamrul Hasan alias Arun, security guard Enam Ahmed alias Humayun Kabir, and Palash Rudra Pal.
Out of the eight people arrested in connection with the case, two were granted bail, while the others remain in jail.
RAB Additional SP Khandaker Md Shafiqul Alam was appointed as the seventh investigation officer in the case on July 7, 2019.
