Sagar-Runi murder

HC questions leak of probe report to media

The High Court (HC) yesterday raised a question over the leak of the investigation report on the journalist couple Sagar-Runi murder case to the media before it was submitted to the court. However, the HC bench of Justices M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman did not fault journalists for publishing the report. “Journalists will rush to collect news. We don’t see any fault of the journalists in collecting and publishing the report in the media,” the HC bench said while dropping a petition regarding the case from its cause-list.

Tanveer Rahman, an accused in the murders, had filed the petition to seek the quashing of the case against him. Earlier yesterday, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Amit Talukder submitted the progress report on the investigation in court. Following this, the HC bench expressed dissatisfaction and questioned how the probe report was published in the media before it was placed in the court.

To this, the DAG clarified that he had not leaked it to the media. He also told the court that the bench has no jurisdiction to hold hearing on the criminal case. Later, the bench dropped the matter from its hearing list and said that the court was aware of its jurisdiction.

There is no bar to hold hearing on the case as a rule issued by this bench is now pending before the bench, the court said. “However, since the state counsel has questioned the jurisdiction of the court, we are not passing any order on the case and dropping it from the cause-list,” it added.

On the other hand, Rahman’s defence counsel, Advocate Fawzia Karim Firoze, opposed the DAG’s submission. She argued that the HC bench has jurisdiction to hear and pass order on the case and also showed the jurisdiction mentioned in the cause-list. But the HC bench finally dropped the case from its cause list. Later, Firoze told reporters that she would appeal to the Chief Justice so that the case might be heard in that court.

On November 14, 2019, the same HC bench had directed the investigating officer to submit a report on the progress of the probe into the twin murder and Rahman’s suspected involvement in the case. The court had fixed March 4, 2020, for passing further order on the matter. But in the meantime the bench’s jurisdiction was changed.

Notably, Sagar Sarowar, news editor of private TV station Maasranga, and his wife Meherun Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were murdered at their rented flat in Dhaka’s West Rajabazar area on February 11, 2012. Their only son Mahir Sarowar Megh, then 5, was home at that time.

Following the murder, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police had launched an investigation.

Later, the case was shifted to the Detective Branch (DB) of police. However, on April 18, 2012, the HC had ordered the investigation to be shifted to the RAB as the DB had expressed its inability to resolve the case.

As many as eight people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the case. They are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Hasan alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, two security guards at the victims’ building—Palash Rudra Paul and Enamul Hoque—and the couple’s “family friend” Tanveer Rahman. The last accused was later given bail.

 

 

Sagar-Runi murder

HC questions leak of probe report to media

The High Court (HC) yesterday raised a question over the leak of the investigation report on the journalist couple Sagar-Runi murder case to the media before it was submitted to the court. However, the HC bench of Justices M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman did not fault journalists for publishing the report. Journalists will rush to collect news. We dont see any fault of the journalists in collecting and publishing the report in the media, the HC bench said while dropping a petition regarding the case from its cause-list. Tanveer Rahman, an accused in the murders, had filed the petition to seek the quashing of the case against him. Earlier yesterday, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Amit Talukder submitted the progress report on the investigation in court. Following this, the HC bench expressed dissatisfaction and questioned how the probe report was published in the media before it was placed in the court. To this, the DAG clarified that he had not leaked it to the media. He also told the court that the bench has no jurisdiction to hold hearing on the criminal case. Later, the bench dropped the matter from its hearing list and said that the court was aware of its jurisdiction. There is no bar to hold hearing on the case as a rule issued by this bench is now pending before the bench, the court said. However, since the state counsel has questioned the jurisdiction of the court, we are not passing any order on the case and dropping it from the cause-list, it added. On the other hand, Rahmans defence counsel, Advocate Fawzia Karim Firoze, opposed the DAGs submission. She argued that the HC bench has jurisdiction to hear and pass order on the case and also showed the jurisdiction mentioned in the cause-list. But the HC bench finally dropped the case from its cause list. Later, Firoze told reporters that she would appeal to the Chief Justice so that the case might be heard in that court. On November 14, 2019, the same HC bench had directed the investigating officer to submit a report on the progress of the probe into the twin murder and Rahmans suspected involvement in the case. The court had fixed March 4, 2020, for passing further order on the matter. But in the meantime the benchs jurisdiction was changed. Notably, Sagar Sarowar, news editor of private TV station Maasranga, and his wife Meherun Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were murdered at their rented flat in Dhakas West Rajabazar area on February 11, 2012. Their only son Mahir Sarowar Megh, then 5, was home at that time. Following the murder, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police had launched an investigation. Later, the case was shifted to the Detective Branch (DB) of police. However, on April 18, 2012, the HC had ordered the investigation to be shifted to the RAB as the DB had expressed its inability to resolve the case. As many as eight people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the case. They are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Hasan alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, two security guards at the victims buildingPalash Rudra Paul and Enamul Hoqueand the couples family friend Tanveer Rahman. The last accused was later given bail.