The main accused in the rape and killing of a seven-year-old girl in Pallabi, Mirpur, has given a confessional statement before a Dhaka court, police said on Wednesday.
Police produced accused Sohel Rana before the court, which later sent his wife, Swapna Akter, to jail in the same case.
Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Ahiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station moved a petition seeking to record Sohel’s confessional statement. The prosecution also sought custody of Swapna Akter in a separate petition.
After hearing the petitions, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid recorded Sohel Rana’s confessional statement and sent him to jail.
In a separate order, the court also sent Swapna Akter to jail.
Prosecution Sub-Inspector Abul Kalam Azad confirmed the development.
Deputy Commissioner of the police's Mirpur Zone, Md. Mostaque Sarkar, told the media that while Sohel had no prior enmity with the victim's family, he has a known criminal record and faces separate charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Preliminary police investigations suggest that the suspect may have successfully evaded justice for other past offenses.
According to case documents, the victim, Ramisa, was a class two student of Popular Model High School. On Tuesday around 9:30am, Swapna Akter allegedly took the child into a room after she left home.
Around 10:30am, the child’s mother began searching for her after she failed to reach school. She later found the child’s shoes near the accused’s room.
As the family received no response after repeated calls, relatives and local residents broke open the door and found the child’s body inside the room.
Sohel Rana later fled the scene by cutting through a window grille. He was arrested in front of Fatullah Model Police Station in Narayanganj and later taken into custody.
