Sohel Chowdhury murder case trial finally begins after 2 decades

After 24 years, the trial of film actor Sohel Chowdhury murder case began at a Dhaka tribunal today (August 28, 2022) with deposition of the complainant.
Judge Md Zakir Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 of Dhaka recorded the statement of Towhidul Islam Chowdhury, brother of the victim and also the complainant of the case, for over one and half hours.
During the deposition, the witness sought justice for his brother.
After that, defence for accused Adnan Siddiqui, cross-examined the witness.
The complainant, in a choked voice, narrated what he had heard from the victim's driver Md Selim, who was with Sohel when he was shot dead on the night December 18, 1998.
After being informed by the driver, the then security guard of Towhidul Islam's house informed him around 4am on the same day that a gang shot Sohel dead at Trumps Club in Abedin Tower at Dhaka's Banani Road-17.
"Then, I went to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where on-duty doctors informed me that my brother was dead," he added.
"The doctors asked me to come again at DMCH at 11am on that day to receive the body. After making an inquest and post-mortem reports, the medical authority handed the body over to me," he added.
Hearing details from driver Selim, I filed a case with Gulshan Police Station, the complainant said.
Before filing of the case, Selim told me that after the shooting the on-duty policemen and locals caught one of the miscreants, Adnan Siddiqui, red-handed from the spot, he continued.
After an investigation, the Detective Branch of police submitted a charge sheet to the court on August 2, 1999.
On October 30, 2001, Dhaka's Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court framed charges against businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai and owner of Trumps Club Afakul Islam alias Bunty Islam and seven others.
Two years after framing charges against the accused, the case was transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 for its quick disposal.
Following a petition of an accused in the case, the High Court in 2003 stayed the proceedings of the trial.
Comments