The High Court today directed the authorities concerned of Chattogram jail to immediately release Minu Akhter, who has been serving jail sentence instead of convicted Kulsuma Akhter in a murder case.

The court also ordered law enforcers to arrest Kulsuma Akhter, who has been sentenced to life term imprisonment in the Kohinur Begum murder case.

During hearing an appeal and petition filed in connection with the case, the HC summoned three lawyers from Chattogram's Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal and its lawyer-assistant (clerk) to appear before the court on June 28 to explain whether there was any fraudulence or their involvement in sending Minu to jail instead of Kulsuma.

The three lawyers are public prosecutor of Chattogram Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal MA Naser and his junior lawyers Nurul Anwar and Bibekananda, and the lawyer-assistant is Md Saurav, Minu's lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told The Daily Star.

He said the three lawyers and the lawyer-assistant have sent the relevant documents of the appeal of Kulsuma Akhter to lawyer Iqbal Hossain for moving it before the HC.

The HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the order during hearing an appeal filed by Kulsuma Akhter challenging her conviction handed by the trial court concerned and a petition filed on behalf of Minu Akhter seeking necessary directives including that of release and compensation.

During hearing today (Monday), Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the HC bench that the perpetrators need to be identified and punished.

Lawyer Iqbal Hossain, who moved the appeal, told the HC bench that he does not know Kulsuma Akhter and her family, but he received the appeal of Kulsuma Akhter from Public Prosecutor MA Naser and his junior lawyers, lawyer-assistant.

On March 22, the court of Chattogram's 4th Additional Metropolitan Session Judge Shariful Alam found that Minu Akhter has been serving in jail since 2018 instead of convicted Kulsuma Akhter in a case filed for killing one Kohinur Begum.

Kohinur, an RMG worker, was killed in her rented house in port city's Rahmatganj area on July 9, 2006 following an altercation over a mobile phone.

A case was lodged over the murder with Kotwali Police Station and police arrested one Kulsuma Akhter and sent her to jail in 2007. She later came out of jail on bail.

On November 30, 2017, a court in Chattogram sentenced her (Kulsuma) to life-term imprisonment in absentia after trial.