Minni denies involvement in Rifat murder
Aysha Siddiqa Minni, wife of Barguna youth Rifat Sharif who was murdered in broad daylight in front of Barguna Government College, was found to be involved with the crime, said the case’s investigation officer Md Humayun Kabir.
The IO on Wednesday told Prothom Alo that Minni along with Nayan Bond and Rifat Farazi jointly planned the murder.
Minni went to the house of Nayan Bond on the day before the incident to plan the murder. One of the accused in the case Tiktok Ridoy in his confession before the court has mentioned her involvement, the IO added.
Humayun Kabir said, “The CCTV footage shows Minni trying to save Rifat Sharif but Nayan didn’t hit her. That was all for the show. We’ve found primary evidences of Minni’s involvement with the murder analysing her mobile phone conversation with Nayan Bond on the day of the murder and the previous day.”
However, Minni, who was placed on a five-day remand by Barguna senior judicial magistrate court judge Md Sirajul Islam Gazi, told the court she was not involved with the murder.
Two lawyers, who were present at the court, said, “There’s no lawyer for Minni in the court. The court asked her, ‘since you have no lawyer to represent you in the court, do you have anything to say about this (the murder)?’ Minni told the court, ‘I’m not involved with the murder.’”
IO Humayun Kabir had sought seven days’ remand for Minni.
Earlier on 17 July, Minni was arrested after nearly 12 hours of interrogation.
In a statement, superintendent of police in Barugna, Maruf Hossain, said the IO’s interrogation of Aysha Siddika Minni and analysis of the information she provided him appeared to show her involvement in the murder.
On 14 July, Minni addressed a media conference at her father’s residence, where she claimed herself innocent.
She defended herself saying those who created ‘Nayan Bond’ and the terrorist group ‘Bond 007’ in Barguna are trying to divert the murder case in a different direction by accusing her.
"By uploading negative posts, doctored images and comments, a vested quarter has been plotting against me since Rifat's murder. Their main intention is to direct the case to a different course. Because, those who created 007 Bond group are very influential and rich," she told the press conference.
She made the claim after her father-in-law Abdul Halim Sharif, on the earlier day, told a media conference at Barguna press club that Minni was involved in the Rifat killing.
He also demanded her arrest.
On 26 June, Rifat Sharif was killed in broad daylight in front of Barguna Government College.
On the following day, victim’s father Abdul Halim Sharif filed a lawsuit with Barguna police station against 12. Besides, four-five others unnamed people also were made accused in the case.
Main accused in the case Sabbir Ahmed alias Nayan Bond was killed in what police called a gunfight with them on 2 July.
As of Thursday morning, 15 people have been arrested in connection with the murder.