SC clears way for Minni’s release

The Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for Aysha Siddika Minni to walk out of jail.

The apex court upheld a High Court verdict that granted bail to Minni in her husband Rifat Sharif murder case.

Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, chamber judge of the Appellate Division, passed “no order” on a government petition seeking stay on the HC verdict.

Minni’s lawyer Makkia Fatima Islam told The Daily Star that there was no legal bar for her client to get released from the jail following the SC order.

“We have already communicated the High Court verdict to the authorities concerned in Barguna. We hope Minni will get released from Barguna jail tomorrow (today),” she said.

Deputy Attorney General KM Zahid Sarwar Kajal told this correspondent that the government would move a regular leave to appeal petition before the Appellate Division challenging the HC verdict after getting its certified copy. 

During hearing on the government’s stay petition earlier in the day, DAG Zahid told the apex court that Minni had connection with the killers of Rifat Sharif and she was involved in conspiracy of the killing.

Minni cannot be granted bail in the case, he argued.

Meanwhile, Minni’s lawyer ZI Khan Panna told the SC that the police had illegally confined his client at Barguna police lines before arresting her.

The police forced Minni to give confessional statement to the magistrate, he argued, praying to the SC to uphold the HC verdict that granted bail to Minni.      

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam also represented the government during the proceedings.

On June 26, Rifat, 25, who used to provide internet services, was hacked to death in broad daylight in front of Minni. A video clip of the incident went viral on social media. In the footage, Minni was seen trying to save her husband from the attackers.

Police arrested Minni after a daylong interrogation on July 16. A Barguna court placed her on a five-day remand the following day. Three days later, the court recorded her statement.

On August 29, Minni was granted bail by the HC on conditions that she would remain in her father’s custody and that she wouldn’t talk to the media.

The HC on September 1 released the full text of the verdict.