Narayanganj 7-murder case

Judges put signatures on full text

The full text of the High Court (HC) verdict in the Narayanganj seven-murder case is likely to be available in the website of the Supreme Court very soon as both judges of the High Court Division put their signatures on the copy of the verdict.

A senior official of the SC, preferring anonymity, told The Independent that two judges of the High Court Division have already put their signatures on the full text of the verdict clearing the way for releasing the copy of the verdict into the website of the Supreme Court by the concerned section of the Supreme Court.

All grounds and observations on which the HC delivered the verdict would be known after getting the full copy of the judgment, which contains about 760 pages, sources said.

The High Court upheld the death penalty of 15 persons, including three former top RAB officials and expelled Awami League (AL) leader Nur Hossain, for their involvement in conspiracy, abduction and killing of seven men in 2014.

On August 22 last year, an HC bench, comprising Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam, delivered the verdict that upheld the death penalty of 15 convicted persons. It had commuted the capital punishment of 11 others to life imprisonment. They were sentenced to death by a Narayanganj court. . The judges also upheld the jail terms of nine others for various terms ranging from seven to 17 years.

Except Nur Hossain, sacked vice-president of the Siddhirganj unit of the AL and also Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) councillor, all the 14 other condemned persons are ex-RAB members. They include then RAB-11 Commanding Officer in Narayanganj, Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad and then RAB-11 company commanders Maj. Arif Hossain and Lt Commander Masud Rana.

In its verdict, the HC bench observed that the glorious image of RAB should not be tarnished because of misdeeds of some members of the elite force. It also observed that disposing of the victims' bodies in the Shitalakhya River was a cruel act that shook the nation and it was done deliberately by the offenders in order to escape from justice.

In its observation, the HC bench said that though this case is very much technical in the eye of law, humanity should always triumph over technicality.

It observed that the offenders committed the heinous crime after meticulous planning. They committed the act in exchange for money, it noted.

The HC bench observed that the masterminds behind the incident—Nur Hossain, Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, and then RAB-11 company commander, Maj Arif Hossain— had separate meetings before the gruesome killings.

Seven people, including Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were abducted from the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road on April 27, 2014. Later, their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakhya.

On January 16 last year, Narayanganj district and sessions judge's court found 35 people, including Nur Hossain and 25 ex-RAB officials, guilty of abduction and murder of the seven people and also destroying evidence. Later, 28 of the convicts filed appeals before the HC, challenging the trial court verdict.

Narayanganj 7-murder case

Judges put signatures on full text

The full text of the High Court (HC) verdict in the Narayanganj seven-murder case is likely to be available in the website of the Supreme Court very soon as both judges of the High Court Division put their signatures on the copy of the verdict. A senior official of the SC, preferring anonymity, told The Independent that two judges of the High Court Division have already put their signatures on the full text of the verdict clearing the way for releasing the copy of the verdict into the website of the Supreme Court by the concerned section of the Supreme Court. All grounds and observations on which the HC delivered the verdict would be known after getting the full copy of the judgment, which contains about 760 pages, sources said. The High Court upheld the death penalty of 15 persons, including three former top RAB officials and expelled Awami League (AL) leader Nur Hossain, for their involvement in conspiracy, abduction and killing of seven men in 2014. On August 22 last year, an HC bench, comprising Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam, delivered the verdict that upheld the death penalty of 15 convicted persons. It had commuted the capital punishment of 11 others to life imprisonment. They were sentenced to death by a Narayanganj court. . The judges also upheld the jail terms of nine others for various terms ranging from seven to 17 years. Except Nur Hossain, sacked vice-president of the Siddhirganj unit of the AL and also Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) councillor, all the 14 other condemned persons are ex-RAB members. They include then RAB-11 Commanding Officer in Narayanganj, Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad and then RAB-11 company commanders Maj. Arif Hossain and Lt Commander Masud Rana. In its verdict, the HC bench observed that the glorious image of RAB should not be tarnished because of misdeeds of some members of the elite force. It also observed that disposing of the victims bodies in the Shitalakhya River was a cruel act that shook the nation and it was done deliberately by the offenders in order to escape from justice. In its observation, the HC bench said that though this case is very much technical in the eye of law, humanity should always triumph over technicality. It observed that the offenders committed the heinous crime after meticulous planning. They committed the act in exchange for money, it noted. The HC bench observed that the masterminds behind the incidentNur Hossain, Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, and then RAB-11 company commander, Maj Arif Hossain had separate meetings before the gruesome killings. Seven people, including Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were abducted from the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road on April 27, 2014. Later, their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakhya. On January 16 last year, Narayanganj district and sessions judges court found 35 people, including Nur Hossain and 25 ex-RAB officials, guilty of abduction and murder of the seven people and also destroying evidence. Later, 28 of the convicts filed appeals before the HC, challenging the trial court verdict.