Writ filed with Indian SC over Felani verdict

Indian human rights body Amnesty India today filed a writ petition with the country’s Supreme Court, saying human rights were violated in Felani murder and confusion is created surrounding the trial process.

However, it is not confirmed yet whether the writ will be accepted, reports our Kolkata correspondent.

Secretary of the organisation Sushanto Sarkar told The Daily Star over phone this evening, “We have sent the writ petition through poster service and e-mail to Chief Justice HL Dattur of the apex court. Within a few days, it will be confirmed whether the writ is accepted.”

“We did not question the trial by BSF directly, rather we sought directives to clear the confusion created among the people of the two countries surrounding the trial process,” Sushanto said.

“According to the Article 32 of the Indian constitution, violation of a person’s fundamental rights is considered as human rights violation.”

Fifteen-year-old Felani Khatun was shot dead by a BSF man while she, along with her father, was returning home from India through Anantapur border in Phulbari upazila of Kurigram on January 7, 2011.

Her dead body was hung from barbwires along the border for hours. A photo of that heart wrenching moment was caught by the media. The killing drew widespread attention and huge flak from all over the world.

A special court of the Indian BSF began trial over this incident on August 13, 2013. As an outcome of the proceedings, the lone accused trooper Amiya Ghosh was acquitted of murder charge on September 6, 2013.

Felani's father appealed to Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh for revision trial in the case. On his appeal, proceedings of the revision trial, held in Cooch Bihar of West Bengal, began from September 22 last year.

On July 2, a special West Bengal court of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has upheld its previous verdict after the hearing of the revision trial.

“The court has reached the same conclusion as it did in the previous time and acquitted him on the same grounds,” our New Delhi correspondent reported quoting sources inside the BSF.

However, the latest decision is subject to revision and approval by an Additional Director General rank officer, also the competent authority, of BSF based in the eastern sector of the country.