SC upholds HC verdict acquitting AC Akram, 11 others
The Supreme Court today upheld a High Court verdict that had acquitted former Assistant Commissioner (AC) of police Akram Hussain and 11 others in the sensational BBA student Shamim Reza Rubel murder case in 1998.
The apex court also affirmed the HC order that had upheld the life imprisonment of the then sub-inspector of police Hayatul Islam in the same case.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha came up with the verdict, dismissing the two separate appeals filed by the government and Hayatul.
The government has filed an appeal challenging the HC verdict that acquitted Akram and 11 others, while Hayatul submitted his appeal seeking acquittal in the case.
Hayatul’s lawyer Advocate Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury told The Daily Star that his client has been serving in jail for 16 years in the case.
“My client is yet to instruct me for moving a petition before the Appellate Division seeking review of its judgement on him,” he said.
Shamim Reza Rubel, 24, a student of the Independent University-Bangladesh (IUB), was picked up by a team of Detective Branch (DB) of police led by AC Akram from Dhaka’s Siddheswari in front of his residence on July 23, 1998. Rubel was tortured to death in the DB custody the same day.
The following day, on July 24, 1998, Abdur Rob Miah, father of Rubel, filed a murder case with Ramna Police Station against 14 accused, including AC Akram Hossain and Roksana Begum alias Mukuli Begum, a neighbour of Rubel.
The Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Dhaka, on June 17, 2002, delivered judgement with life-term rigorous imprisonment to 13 convicts, including AC Akram, and one year to Mukuli Begum.
After hearing 13 appeals filed by the accused against the lower court judgement, the HC on May 5, 2011 acquitted Akram and 11 others and upheld life imprisonment of Hayatul.
Comments