Police press charges against Minni among 24 over Rifat Sharif murder

Police on Sunday pressed charges against 24 people, including Aysha Siddika Minni, in a case filed over the murder of Rifat Sharif.

Inspector Humayun Kabir of Sadar police station, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted a 614-page charge sheet before the senior judicial magistrate Md Sirajul Islam Gazi around 4:30pm, said court inspector Abdul Quddus.

Although there were 12 names in the First Information Report (FIR), the charge sheet was submitted against 24 people.

Of the accused, 14 are teenagers and a separate supplementary charges sheet was filed against them.

The court will hear the charge sheet on Monday.

Number-one witness in the case, Minni was made accused no. seven in the charge sheet while the name of key accused Sabbir Ahmed alias Nayon Bond was dropped as he was killed in a reported gunfight with law enforcers on 2 July.

The FIR-named accused are Rifat Farazi, Rishan Farazi, Chandan, Md Musa, Md Rabbi Akon, Mohaiminul Islam Sifat, Raihan, Mohammad Hasan, Rifat, Oli and Tiktak Hridoy.

Meanwhile, Rifat Sharif’s father Abdul Halim Dulal Sharif expressed his satisfaction over the charge sheet and sought exemplary punishment of Minni.

He also called for speedy trial in the murder case.

On the other hand, Minni’s father Mozammel Hossain alleged that her daughter is the victim of conspiracy.

On 26 June, Rifat Sharif, 22, was attacked with sharp weapons near the main gate of Barguna Govt College. Minni appeared to be trying to protect him during the attack.

Police arrested Minni on 16 July over the murder of her husband and was denied bail several times. She reportedly confessed to her involvement in the murder before the court on 19 July, two days after her arrest.

On 31 July, Minni filed a petition with a Barguna court seeking withdrawal of her confessional statement over the murder.

On 29 August, the High Court granted bail to her in the murder case on condition of staying in her father’s custody and refraining from talking to media while the government filed a petition on Sunday with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking stay on her bail order.