The court also asked police to investigate role of the former Jamaat lawmaker in the case. The court suspected that victim's relative Nazrul Islam was accused to save the real killers and conceal the actual motive. The case was filed with Satkhira Sadar police station.

Judge Motazidur Rahman of Women and Children Repression Preventive Court passed the order on July 30, the date earlier fixed for delivery of verdict. The case documents were sent to police on completion of formalities.

Maulana Abdul Khaleque Mondal was elected from Satkhira-2 (Sadar) constituency as a candidate of BNP-led four-party alliance in 2001 election.

The court also asked the authorities concerned to appoint a senior CID (criminal investigation department) official of the rank of an assistant police superintendent (ASP) as Investigation Officer (IO) of the case.

The judge also asked the authorities to send copies of the court order to the home secretary, inspector general of police (IGP), deputy inspector general of police of Khulna range and Satkhira district magistrate.

According to court sources, local people on the night of February 16, 2002 found the body of 18 year-old China Khatun lying on the floor of her house. Pregnant Chaima Khatun was the wife of Azad Hossain of Machhkhola village in Sadar upazila.

On the following day, the victim's father-in-law Abdul Aziz filed a UD (unnatural death) case with Satkhira Sadar police station.

After ten days of the incident, the victim's mother-in-law Mariam Begum submitted an allegation to the same police station with comments of Maulana Abdul Khaleque Mondal asking police to take action against the culprits.

Acting on Khaleque Mondal's recommendation, the then officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar police station Ruhul Islam Mallik filed a murder case accusing Nazrul Islam, a relative of the victim, under Section 9(2) of Women and Children Repression Preventive Act.

Mariam in her complainant alleged that Nazrul entered Chaina Begum's room and killed her after rape on February 16.

Investigation officer (IO) of the case Sub-inspector (SI) Golam Mostafa of Sadar police station submitted charge sheet against Nazrul Islam.

After a long hearing and cross-examination of 11 witnesses, the court fixed July 30 for pronouncement of verdict.

After examining the ejahar, charge sheet, postmortem report, UD case filed by the victim's husband and statements of witnesses including the victim's parents, the court later postponed delivery of verdict and ordered re-investigation of the case and investigation into former Jamaat lawmaker's role in the case.

The court also mentioned that rape before murder was not found in autopsy report.

"Former Jamaat lawmaker Khaleque's activities was not proper in dealing with the case as he influenced the complainant to file the case against Nazrul Islam by concealing the actual motive and the killers. He also tried to divert the case merit, which is an offence punishable under Section 201 BPC (Bangladesh Penal Code)", the judge said in his order.

"It is clear to the court that complainant Mariam Begum filed the case as per advice of the former lawmaker and she (Mriam Begum), victim's father-in-law Abdul Aziz and husband Azad tried to conceal facts in a planned way", the court observed.

On the other hand, the victim's parents claimed before the court that China Khatun was killed by her husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law, the court said.

"It is necessary to take legal action against those who tried to divert the case merit by concealing the motive and the killers", the court said.

On contact, Officer-in-charge (OC) Abdul Kader Beg of Sadar police station acknowledged receipt of the case documents and said they will go by the court order.

Contacted, former Jamaat lawmaker Maulana Abdul Khaleque said, as a public representative, he recommended the ejahar on good faith as the complainant alleged that police were dilly-dallying in recording the case.

"I know nothing more than this regarding the case", he said.