Rape at MC College: Trial of two cases yet to start
One year after the rape incident at Sylhet's Murari Chand College (MC College), trial of two cases filed over rape and mugging are yet to begin in court, due to several legal obligations and the ongoing pandemic.
Advocate Rashida Syeda Khanom, special public prosecutor of the Tribunal for Women and Children Repression Prevention, said, "As the High Court ordered both cases to be proceeded in one tribunal, new charges need to be formed."
"But procedures have been delayed due to the pandemic. Next month, fresh charges will be formed, and the trial will start."
The next scheduled date of the case is October 13. That day, fresh charges are scheduled to be framed in a tribunal.
Earlier in March, the ministry published a gazette notification to proceed both cases in the Speedy Trial Tribunal in Sylhet.
Complainant's lawyer Advocate Shahiduzzaman Chowdhury said, "We're waiting for the home ministry's instructions to be fulfilled. Both cases have the same witnesses and are connected. Proceeding them together in the tribunal will speed up the trial."
On September 25, a group of youth raped a woman at a hostel of MC College, after forcibly taking the victim and her husband there and tying them up.
The victim's husband had filed a case with Shahporan Police Station that night, accusing six named and three to four unnamed people. Police later arrested all six named accused along with two others.
All eight are Chhatra League (BCL) activists.
On January 17, Sylhet Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Md Mohitul Haque framed charges against the eight.
The trial was scheduled to start on January 24 by recording testimonies of witnesses.
Meanwhile, the investigation officer also filed a separate charge sheet to a Sylhet court centring the mugging. In that charge sheet, the accused and witnesses are the same.
However, the trial could not be started as the complainant's lawyer moved the case to the HC, demanding both trials be proceeded in the same court.
On February 7, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman gave an order, accepting the lawyer's demand.
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