POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Feb 15,2022: Retired army officer Sinha said a year and a half ago. Former Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das, who was sentenced to death, has appealed to the High Court seeking quashing of the verdict in the murder case of Rashed Khan.
Another convict sentenced to death, former inspector of Baharchhara Investigation Center Liaquat, has also filed an appeal seeking acquittal.
The appeal was filed in the relevant branch of the High Court on Sunday and Monday, said Supreme Court lawyer Rana Dasgupta.
Asked about the appeal filed by the dismissed OC Pradeep, the lawyer told Kaler Kantha:
The verdicts and punishments given in the verdict have been given in a hurry. That is why the judgment and order of the Judicial Court should be quashed and revoked at the hearing. ‘
Rana Dasgupta said, “Last Sunday, an appeal was also filed in the High Court on behalf of Liaquat, a former inspector of Baharchhara Investigation Center. Senior Supreme Court lawyer SM Shahjahan is representing him. ‘
Lawyer SM Shahjahan later confirmed the matter to Kaler Kantha about Liaquat’s appeal. Asked on what grounds the appeal was filed, he said, “It cannot be said now. However, I can only say that the appeal has been filed seeking acquittal. ‘
Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Ismail Sinha pronounced the verdict in the murder case on January 31.
The court also hanged Pradeep Kumar Das, former OC of Teknaf Police Station, and Liaquat, a former inspector of Baharchhara Investigation Center. Three policemen and three police sources were sentenced to life in prison for plotting to assassinate Sinha and trying to cover up the incident.
Of the 15 accused in the case, the court acquitted the remaining four policemen and three APBN members. The judge summed up the verdict in a crowded court that day.
Later on February 4, the judgment and case documents reached the High Court along with the application for approval of the death sentence.
According to Section 374 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the death sentence passed by a judicial court requires the approval of the High Court. Case documents have to be sent to the High Court in the form of ‘Death Reference’ for approval by the High Court. The 300-page full judgment was also sent along with the death reference.
Now, if the convicts appeal against the verdict or the jail appeal, all the documents of the case including death reference will be checked and selected and sent to BG Press for making a paper book. Once the printing and binding work is completed, it will be sent back to the concerned branch of the High Court. After verification and selection, it will be kept ready for death reference and appeal hearing. Later, the Chief Justice will send the case to a bench of the High Court for hearing the death reference and appeal or constitute a bench.
