Rifat Murder Case: HC refuses to grant Minni bail

The High Court has refused to grant bail to Ayesha Siddika Minni in connection with a case filed over her husband Rifat Sharif’s murder.

The bench of Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order yesterday.

While hearing Minni’s bail petition, the HC bench said it would issue a rule asking the government to explain why Minni should not be granted bail in the case.

Meanwhile, petitioner’s advocate ZI Khan Panna withdrew the bail petition from the HC bench saying he would move the same petition before another HC bench.

Additional Attorney General Momtaz Uddin Fakir, advocate for the government, told the court that Minni cannot get bail in the sensational murder case.

Five accused in the case, including Minni, recorded their confessional statement before magistrates and the investigation is still on, Fakir added.

Minni, who is now in jail, submitted the bail petition to the HC on August 5 through her lawyers citing different grounds on which the HC may consider her bail.

In the petition, Minni said she was innocent and not involved in the murder in any way.

She also said that she had been made accused with an ulterior motive and on the instructions of a vested quarter.

Earlier, two courts in Barguna rejected Minni’s bail on July 22 and July 30.

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.

On June 26, Rifat Sharif, 25, an internet service provider, was hacked to death in broad daylight in Barguna town.

In a footage of the incident that went viral on social media, 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 murder.

Prime accused in the case, Nayan Bond, was killed in a “gunfight” with police on July 2.