DU student rape case: Lone accused Majnu indicted

A tribunal in Dhaka today framed charges against Md Majnu, the lone accused in a case filed over the rape of a Dhaka University student in the capital's Kurmitola area.

Majnu, now in jail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Judge Begum Mosammat Quamrunnahar of the 7th Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression read out the charges to him through videoconferencing.

Before that, the judge sent a virtual link to the jail authorities of Kashimpur High Security Jail in Gazipur, custodian of the accused in the case.

The tribunal fixed September 9 for starting trial of the case.

On March 16, Detective Branch Inspector Abu Bakar Siddique, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Majnu to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka.

The IO also brought charges of assaulting, snatching mobile phone, wristwatch and money from the victim's possession.

On January 5, the student was raped when she was walking from Kurmitola bus stop to a friend's house near Shewra Railgate around 7:30pm after getting off a university bus.

She regained consciousness around 10pm, after which she managed to make it to her friend's house. Her friend later took her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.

The next day, the girl's father filed the case with Cantonment Police Station, accusing unknown people.

On January 8, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested 30-year-old Majnu from Shewra area.