7-murder: Paper books on death reference reach HC

The paper books of the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder cases reached the High Court today for hearing the death reference and appeal of the case.

On completion of the relevant procedure, the documents will be placed before the chief justice next week.

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha may assign a High Court bench for hearing of the death reference and appeal of the case next week, Additional Registrar of the High Court Sabbir Faiz told The Daily Star.

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Copies of the two paper books containing around 6,000 pages reached the High Court from Bangladesh Government Press.

The paper books have been prepared on priority basis as per instruction from the chief justice so that the death reference and appeals of the case are settled quickly.

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A paper book contains all the details of a case, trial proceedings, statements, evidence, verdicts and other documents. The book is necessary for the HC to hear and dispose of a death reference or an appeal.

The HC received the death reference of the case from the trial court on January 22.

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If a lower court sentences any person to death, its judgement is examined by the HC through hearing arguments for confirmation of the death sentence. The case documents and the judgement reach as death reference to the HC from the lower court in seven days after the verdict is pronounced.

Earlier on January 16, the District and Sessions Judge's Court in Narayanganj found 35 people, including 25 former Rab officials and expelled ruling Awami League 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 (Rapid Action Battalion) men, and jailed nine others for various terms.