Ex-JP MP Ovi acquitted of model Tinni murder case

A Dhaka court today acquitted former student leader and Jatiya Party lawmaker Golam Faruq Ovi, in his absentia, in a case filed over the murder of model Syeda Tania Mahbub Tinni in 2002.

Judge Mosammat Shahinur Akhter of Dhaka 2nd Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court pronounced the judgment.

In the judgment, the judge said the prosecution has completely failed to prove the charges brought against the lone accused of the case.

So, the accused has been acquitted from the charges, he said.

During the trial, Tinni's father Syed Mahbub Karim on February 5 of 2022 gave his statements before the court and sought exemplary punishment for the accused in the case.

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Model Tinni murder: Dhaka court records statements of father, uncle

Earlier, the prosecution and the state-appointed lawyer completed their arguments and the court recorded statements of 26 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

None of the victim's family was present at the court during the today's judgment.

On November 10 of 2002, police recovered Tinni's body from under China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge over the Buriganga river and a case was filed with Keraniganj Police Station on the same day.

Following the incident, Shafiuddin, a sub-inspector of the police station, on different dates arrested Tinni's ex-husband Shafakat Ahmed Pial, Swapan Gazi, Gazi Sharifullah Tapan, Shafiqul Islam Jewel and Somnath Saha Bappy.

But the Criminal Investigation Department on November 8 of 2008, pressed charge against Ovi and dropped the names of Pial and others as the charges brought against them were not proven.

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According to the charge sheet, Ovi murdered Tinni when she became persistent in her demand to give her social recognition through marriage.

Soon after the murder, Ovi moved to Canada after securing bail and challenging a 1992 trial court verdict, which sentenced him to 17 years in jail in an arms case, according to the charge sheet filed with the court.

Following the charge sheet, the court issued an arrest warrant against Ovi, asking him to appear before it on different dates, but Ovi did not comply with the court order.