Seven Murders: Nur Hossain challenges death penalty
Former ward councillor of Narayanganj City Corporation Nur Hossain yesterday challenged the death penalty awarded to him by a trial court in the seven-murder case.
SRM Lutfor Rahman Akand, a lawyer for Nur, submitted two separate appeals to the High Court, seeking his client's acquittal of the murder charge.
Citing the appeals, Lutfor told The Daily Star that his client was not present on the spot where the seven people were killed in Narayanganj in April 2014.
There was no witness' statement or evidence about the presence of Nur Hossain at the scene of the crime, he said.
The lawyer said without considering the issue, the trial court sentenced his client to death in two cases filed in connection with the killing of seven people -- Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his driver and three associates, and senior lawyer Chandan Sarkar and his driver.
Lutfor also said the HC might hold a hearing on the appeals.
The seven were abducted allegedly by some Rapid Action Battalion men from Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road in Siddhirganj on April 27, 2014.
Nur, who was then a ward councillor of Narayanganj city, allegedly bribed the Rab men to murder Nazrul with whom he reportedly had a longstanding political feud. Lawyer Chandan and his driver were killed as they happened to witness the Rab men abducting Nazrul and his associates.
The murder outraged the nation with Nazrul's father-in-law Shahidul Islam alleging that the Rab men had taken Tk 6 crore from Nur to kill Nazrul.
On January 16, Narayanganj District and Sessions Judge's Court found 35 people, including 25 former Rab men and expelled ruling AL man Nur Hossain, guilty of abduction and murder of seven people and destroying evidence in April 2014.
The court handed down death penalty to 26 people, including 16 former Rab men, and jailed nine other accused for various terms, from seven to 17 years.
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