Rifat murder: Deadline for police report extended

A Barguna court today extended till August 14 the deadline for submitting police report in a case filed over the sensational murder of Rifat Sharif.

The court of Barguna Senior Judicial Magistrate Sirajul Islam Gazi fixed the date of submission of the report and further hearing of the case on August 14, defence lawyer Advocate Mahbubul Bari Aslam told our Jhalokathi correspondent.

The report was earlier scheduled to be submitted to the court today (July 31). 

The court said that since the case has been taken to the Barguna District and Sessions Judge’s Court, it will hold further hearing on August 14 and asked police to submit the report before it on the same day after the case is shifted to this court. 

Meanwhile, the Barguna jail authorities today sent the documents of a prayer by Ayesha Siddika Minni, wife of slain Rifat Sharif, to the court seeking withdrawal of her confessional statement in the case.

Minni is the key witness of the murder that took place in front of Barguna Govt College on June 26 in broad daylight.

Yesterday, the Barguna District and Sessions Judge’s Court rejected a plea seeking bail of Minni in the case.

Earlier on July 21, Barguna Senior Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Sirajul Islam Gazi rejected a petition seeking Minni’s bail in the case.

On July 16, police arrested Minni after a daylong interrogation. A court placed her on a five-days remand the following day.

Three days later, a Barguna court on July 19 recorded the statement of Aysha Siddika Minni in connection with the case filed over the murder of Rifat Sharif.

Rifat, 25, an internet service provider, was indiscriminately hacked by a group of youths there.

In a video footage of the incident that went viral in the social media, Minni was seen screaming and trying in vain to save her husband from the assailants.

The victim’s father filed a murder case with Barguna Sadar Police Station against 12 people on the same day.

The prime accused in the case, Nayon Bond, was killed in a “gunfight” with police on July 2.