Actor Sohel Chowdhury murder: Court fixes date to record statements after 19 years
A Dhaka court has fixed 20 March to record the statements of the witnesses in a case filed over popular Bangladeshi film actor of the 90’s, Sohel Chowdhury, on Thursday.
The court of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 judge Zakir Hossain passed the order during the hearing, said Afrin Shilpi, additional public prosecutor of the court, reports UNB.
She also said that the court earlier had fixed Thursday for the accused to appear before court.
Of the nine accused, Tariq Sayeed Mamun was produced before the court from jail but Harun Ur Rashid alias Leather Liton was not produced, said Afrin Shilpi.
The court granted the appeals of accused Adnan Siddiqui, Faruq Abbasi for more time and fixed the date to start recording the statements, said the APP.
Lawyers of the defendants -- Afakul Islam alias Bunty Islam, owner of Trumps club, businessman Aziz Mohammad alias Abdul Aziz and Selim Khan -- did not take any steps.
Meanwhile, other two accused in the case -- Sanzidul Islam Imon and Ashish Ray Chowdhury -- are absconding.
According to documents, the High Court cleared the way for trial in the case on 27 February by withdrawing a long standing stay order.
On 19 December 1998, actor Sohel was shot dead by some miscreants at Trumps Club in Abedin Tower at city’s Banani-17 road.
A murder case was filed in this regard with Gulshan police station followed by a complaint lodged by deceased Sohels’ brother Towhidul Islam Chowdhury.
Later, On 30 July, 1999, Abul Kashem Bepari, additional commissioner of Detective police (DB) submitted a charge sheet against nine people in the case.
On 30 October, 2001, Dhaka’s third additional metropolitan session judge court framed charges against the nine accused. After two years of indictment the case was transferred to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2.
The same year one of the accused appealed before the High Court.
Since 2003, followed by an accused’s appeal to the High Court, the trial in the case remained suspended for 19 years.