Order to form high-power taskforce for investigation

The High Court has ordered the formation of a high-power taskforce consisting experienced members from different agencies to investigate the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

The home secretary has been asked to carry out the task. At the same time, the court has asked him to submit a report within six months after the investigation.

After the hearing of an appeal, a High Court bench consisted of justice Farah Mahbub and justice Muhammad Mahbub-Ul Islam passed this order on Monday.

Earlier in response to a writ petition, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was given the charge of investigating the case through an order of the High Court 12 years ago on 18 April 2012.

The investigation report was not submitted during long period of time. The date of submission for the investigation report has been delayed at least by 111 times.

A writ petition was filed on Sunday on behalf of the home secretary seeking correction of the previous order (18 April 2012) transferring the case to RAB for investigation.

Additional attorney general Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek R Haque were present in the court during the hearing on behalf of the state.

They were accompanied by deputy attorney generals Redowan Ahmed Ranjib and Mohaddes-Ul-Islam. Meanwhile, senior lawyer Manzil Morshed stood for the hearing on behalf of the writ petitioner and lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir was on plaintiff’s side.

In the hearing, additional attorney general Aneek R Haque said that it is the sensitive Sagar-Runi murder case. According to the High Court order given on 18 April 2012, the case was transferred from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)’s Detective Branch (DB) to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) for investigation.

Despite a considerable amount of time being passed there has been no significant result though. RAB lacks necessary expertise and experience to conduct investigations of this matter. The delay and absence of progress in the investigation are the signs of this limitation. RAB is an operational force and not an investigative agency.

At one point of the hearing the court addressing the additional attorney general asked, “To whom do you want to take it transferring from the RAB?” Aneek R Haque then said that an order has been sought to form a taskforce consisted of high-up officials under the home ministry through an amendment of the previous order.

On behalf of the writ petitioner, senior lawyer Manzil Morshed said that there has been no concluding progress since RAB was given the charge of investigation. The investigation report being stuck is not going to work. The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) is best in investigation.

At one point the court stated that if a high-power taskforce is formed consisting experienced members of different agencies, the issue of including anyone when it is necessary would remain open.

Meherun Runi’s brother Nowsher Alam is the plaintiff of the case filed in connection to Sagar-Runi murder. Present on his behalf, lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir said that the case has a plaintiff who has been going through pains and sufferings for year after years.

The court at the time stated, “This is an extremely sad and shocking incident for not just him but for all the citizens of Bangladesh. This time we really want to see that justice prevails.”

Then, the order was passed granting the appeal seeking amendment of the pervious order from 18 April 2012. At the same time, 6 April of next year was fixed as the next court date for order.

On 11 February, 2012, journalist couple Sagar and Runi was murdered at their rented house in West Rajabazar area of the capital. At that time Sagar was working in private television channel Machranga TV and Runi was working in ATN Bangla. In connection to Sagar-Runi murder case, Runi’s brother Nowsher Alam filed a case as the plaintiff with Sher-E-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka.

At first this case was being investigated by the Sher-E-Bangla Nagar police station. After four days, the responsibility of investigating the case was transferred to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)’s Detective Branch (DB). After 62 days of taking over the charge of investigating the case, DB acknowledged their failure on 18 April 2012. The court then gave an order for RAB to investigate the case. The case was being investigated by RAB since then.