SC stays HC bail to Rajib murder accused

Ahmed Rajib Haider

The Supreme Court today directed Sadman Yaseer Mahmud, an accused in blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider murder case, to surrender before a trial court in two weeks.

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after staying a HC order that granted bail to Sadman for six months in this case.

Rajib, also an activist of the Shahbagh movement, was hacked to death in the capital’s Pallabi on February 15 last year.

The judge came up with the order today after a brief hearing on a petition filed by the government seeking a stay on the HC order.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told the court that Sadman, a student of North South University, was involved in the conspiracy for killing Rajib and gave confessional statement in this regard before a magistrate.

Sadman cannot be granted bail in this sensational murder case, the attorney general said.

The AG prayed to the chamber judge’s court to direct a lower court to issue an arrest warrant against Sadaman.

Defence lawyer Khandakar Mahbub Hossain opposed the government’s stay petition.

The chamber judge sent the government stay petition to the full bench of the Appellate Divison for its further hearing on June 16.

On June 1, the HC granted bail to Sadman, who was arrested on March 2 last year. He got released from jail on June 4.            

On January 28, detectives charged Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani, chief of emerging militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team, and seven NSU students including Sadman in the murder case.

Of them, one remains absconding while the six others are behind the bar.