Defence counsel places arguments for second day
A defence counsel for Munshi Mohibullah alias Ovi yesterday for the second day continued placing his closing arguments in connection with the cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack.
Ovi is a Huji leader and also a brother of another Huji leader Mufti Abdul Hannan.
Saifur Rashid Sabuj, counsel for Ovi placed his arguments for over two hours before the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka.
As Saifur could not complete his arguments, Judge Shahed Nuruddin adjourned the hearing and fixed January 15, 16 and 17 for the next hearing. Saifur will place his remaining arguments then.
During yesterday's arguments, Saifur said four accused in their confessional statements mentioned his client's name. They are Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul, Rafiqul Islam Sabuj, Abul Kalam Azad Bulbul and Jahangir Alom Badar.
But Saifur read out the confessional statements of Bipul and Badar and pointed out contradictions in the statements.
Moreover, the magistrates who recorded confessional statements of Bipul and Badar did not follow the rules of High Court Rules and Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
At one stage, the judge asked Saifur to be alert in placing his closing arguments as he cited irrelevant matters.
Earlier, state-appointed defence lawyers for 12 fugitive accused, including Md Hanif and Harris Chowdhury, concluded their closing arguments.
Twenty-four leaders and activists of AL and its associate bodies were killed and over 300 others suffered splinter injuries in the August 21 attack on Bangabandhu Avenue in 2004.
Many of the injured became crippled for life while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, narrowly escaped the attack with ear injuries.
Of the 49 accused in the two cases filed over the attack, eight, including three former inspectors general of police, are now on bail, while 18, including Tarique Rahman, have been absconding.
Twenty-three other accused, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and former deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu, now behind bars, were produced before the court yesterday.
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