All 4 accused acquitted in Manjurul Imam murder case
A Khulna court yesterday acquitted all four charge-sheeted accused in the Awami League (AL) leader Advocate Manjurul Imam murder case.
The acquitted persons are outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) members Ganesh Banerjee, Shahadat Hossain Raju, Shukur Gazi and Sheikh Abdul Rabbi alias Ripon.
Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Abdus Salam Sikder pronounced the verdict in presence of the accused at 1:30pm.
In the judgment, the judge observed that there was not enough evidence to convict any of the accused of murder charges. Besides, the case's merit was spoiled due to frequent change of investigation officers, the judge added.
Special Public Prosecutor S.M. Abu Zafar said he would file appeal with the higher court against the judgment.
Family members of the slain AL leader expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict and accused police of spoiling merit of the case.
Talukder Abdul Khaleque, the mayor-elect of Khulna City Corporation, in his reaction to the verdict, said justice has not been done.
Manjurul Imam, president of Khulna City AL, was killed in a bomb attack on August 25, 2003 in front of his residence in Khulna.
His assistant advocate Bijon Bihari, who was with him on a rickshaw and rickshaw puller Sayedul Islam, later succumbed to their wounds at hospital.
Imam's youngest son Abdullah Harun Jami filed a first information report (FIR) with Khulna Police Station on August 28 the same year.
DB inspector Shajahan Howlader submitted the charge sheet to the court on March 11, 2004 against four extremists Shukur Gazi, Ganesh Banerjee, Ripon and Imam Sarder. Later, Imam Sarder was killed in a shootout in 2005.
The court, however, ordered for further investigation following an appeal by the prosecution lawyer.
Another DB inspector Akram Hossain included the name of extremist Shahadat in the supplementary charge sheet submitted to the court on February 24 this year.
The third charge sheet in the case was submitted to the court on June 12 this year.
The court ordered for reinvestigation after Rumi, the eldest son of the slain AL leader, in his deposition mentioned the names of five party leaders as masterminds behind the bomb attack.
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