For the 76th time, the investigation report of journalist couple Sagar-Runi murder case has yet again failed to be submitted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) investigation officer.
Such delays in a case that has been going on for eight long years is unprecedented. It is difficult to ignore such mistakes as a failure of the law enforcement agencies with rampant impunity of offenders and no proper initiative for a fair investigation, an ARTICLE 19 press release said on Tuesday.
Regional Director for ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh and South Asia Faruq Faisel said: "The investigation report reminds us of a proverb that has been pushed back 76 times –justice delayed is justice denied."
ARTICLE 19 refuses to accept this to be the case for Sagar-Runi murder case. It is very important to find out when the investigation of this case will end and whether the trial will start at all, the release said.
On February 10, 2012, Sagar Sarwar, news editor of Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla TV, were killed at night in a rented house in West Rajabazar of the capital. The police recovered their bodies the next morning. Mahir Sarwar Megh, son of Sagar-Runi, a four and a half year old child at the time, was at home at the time of the murder. He is now 12 years old.
On April 18, 2012, the High Court directed RAB to investigate the case after the Detective Branch (DB) of police admitted its failure in investigating the case. Since then, the RAB has been investigating the case and has so far replaced seven investigating officers.
The court has set a new date for the submission of the investigation report on December 29, 2020.
"There is no reason to think that it is impossible to find the killers involved in the Sagar-Runi murder. In this age of sophisticated technology, nothing can be hidden.
“With the government's goodwill and proper initiative of the law enforcement officials, various sensational cases have been investigated and militancy has been suppressed. We want to see that goodwill reflected in this investigation of the Sagar-Runi murder case as well,” Faisel also said.
