The High Court on Sunday acquitted five people and upheld the death sentences of two others in the murder case of Rangpur shrine caretaker Rahmat Ali, 60.
The death sentences of JMB commander Masud Rana and Liton Mia were upheld.
The five acquitted by the High Court are JMB members Ishaq Ali, 34; Sakhawat Hossain alias Rahul, 30; Sarwar Hossain Sabu alias Mizan, 30; northern region commander Bijoy alias Ali alias Dorji, 30; and Chandu Mia, 20.
The High Court bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Sathika Hossain delivered the verdict on Sunday.
Advocate SM Shahjahan and Barrister Anwar Hossain represented the accused before the court.
In 2018, a Rangpur court sentenced seven accused to death and acquitted six others in the case. Rangpur Special Judge Naresh Chandra Sarkar delivered the verdict.
The seven sentenced to death were JMB's Rangpur region commander Masud Rana alias Mamun alias Montri, 33; Ishaq Ali, 34; Liton Mia alias Rafiq, 32; Sakhawat Hossain alias Rahul, 30; Sarwar Hossain Sabu alias Mizan, 30; northern region commander Bijoy alias Ali alias Dorji, 30; and Chandu Mia, 20.
The six acquitted by the trial court were JMB members Abu Sayeed, 30; Toufiqul Islam Sabuj, 35; Sadat alias Ratan Mia, 23; Jahangir Hossain alias Rajib Gandhi, 26; Babul Akhtar alias Babul Master, 35; and Rajibul Islam Molla alias Badal alias Badhan, 25.
Two of the 13 accused, Chandu Mia and Rajibul Islam Molla alias Badal alias Badhan, were absconding.
Rahmat Ali, the caretaker of a shrine, was hacked indiscriminately and had his throat slit at Chaitar Mor in Madhupur union of Kaunia upazila, Rangpur, while returning home on the night of November 10, 2015.
The following day, his son Shafiqul Islam filed a murder case with Kaunia Police Station.
