Minni gets conditional bail

The High Court today granted bail to Ayesha Siddika Minni in her husband Rifat Sharif murder case on conditions that she will remain in her father’s custody and that she cannot talk to media.

If Minni violates the conditions, her bail will be cancelled, the court said.

The HC granted the bail considering different issues and said Minni’s name was not included in the FIR (First Information Report) of the case.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman delivered the verdict after hearing a petition filed by Minni seeking bail in the case.

While delivering the verdict, the court observed that the Superintendent of Barguna police had told the media that Minni confessed to her guilt when she was on remand, which was not only un-called for but also contradictory to the justice and neutral and fair investigation.

The Barguna SP had said that Minni was involved in the killing of Rifat Sharif before she gave statement before a magistrate, the court said.

The court said responsible persons like Barguna SP delivering such statement before completion of the investigation is not acceptable.

The court also stated that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) will take necessary measures in this regard.

It observed that the police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) produced the accused before the media before completion of the investigation, which raised question among the people.

They have also been seen to become over enthusiastic to talk to the media about the investigation into the case, the court said.

It is said that a person cannot be referred to as a criminal until the person is proven guilty based on evidence.

The HC also directed the home secretary and the IGP to formulate a guideline on how much statement the law enforcers can make on the investigation of the cases.

During today’s proceedings, Minni’s lawyer ZI Khan Panna told the court that Minni was kept detained by police for a long time and had no lawyer to represent her when she was produced before the lower court shown arrested in the case.

Yesterday, the HC observed that the statement from Barguna SP on Minni’s involvement in her husband’s murder does not sufficiently corroborate the case docket (CD) of the investigation officer.

WHAT DID BARGUNA SP SAY?

Talking to a press conference in his office on July 18, Barguna SP Maruf Hossain said they arrested Minni as they found her link with the murder.

The court did not disclose the statement recorded in the CD.

HOW WAS RIFAT MURDERED?  

Rifat Sharif, 25, an internet service provider, was hacked to death in broad daylight in front of Minni’s college in Barguna town on June 26.

In the CCTV footage of the incident, Minni was seen screaming and trying to save her husband from the attackers.

Rifat’s father filed the murder case with Barguna Sadar Police Station against 12 people on the day of the incident. The prime accused in the case, Nayan Bond, was killed in a “gunfight” with police on July 2.

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