HC verdict on N’ganj 7-murder Sunday

All eyes are on the High Court which is set to give its verdict on Sunday on the death references and appeals in sensational Narayanganj seven-murder cases.

The bench of Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam is expected to deliver the verdict as the death references and appeals have been included as first item in its cause list.

Earlier on July 26, the judges fixed August 13  for announcing the judgement after concluding hearing arguments from the state and the defence counsels for 33 days on the matters.

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.

During the hearing on the death references and appeals in Narayanganj seven murder cases, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam prayed to the HC to uphold the trial court judgment in the cases in which 26 people, including 16 former Rapid Action Battalion members, were sentenced to death and nine others jailed.

Defence counsels --Advocate Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury, Advocate SM Shahjahan, Advocate SM Abdul Mobin and Advocate Ahsan Ullah -- placed arguments defending the accused.

On January 16, a Narayanganj court 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 members, and jailed nine others for various terms.

The bodies of seven people, including Narayanganj City Corporation councillor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were found floating in the Shitalakkhya river after they were abducted on April 27, 2014.