KURIGRAM, July 3 (UNB): A special court of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in Cooch Behar upheld its previous verdict that acquitted BSF constable Amiya Ghosh of the charge of killing Bangladeshi girl Felani in January 2011.
The General Security Forces Court of BSF passed the order on Thursday night. A five-member panel of the BSF, led by CP Tribedi, conducted the trial amid tight security.
However, the BSF authorities have not yet announced the verdict officially.
The revision trial of the killing of Bangladeshi girl resumed on Tuesday at the special court constituted by the BSF in Cooch Behar of India.
Meanwhile, Felani's parents expressed frustration and anger over the outcome of the retrial.
In an instant reaction over the verdict, Nur Islam Nuru, father of Felani, said, "I reject the verdict. BSF constable Amiya Ghosh should be sentenced to death. It was a mockery in the name of trial. We will appeal against the verdict."
Advocate Abraham Linkon, a public prosecutor of Kurigram, said the verdict goes against human rights and justice. Felani's father can appeal to the higher court of India against the verdict, he added.
Felani was shot dead by BSF while she was crossing the barbed-wire fences along Anantapur border in Kurigram district on January 7, 2011.
Felani, who used to work as a domestic help in New Delhi, was returning home from India along with her father when she met her fate. Although her father managed to get inside Bangladesh border by scaling up the barbed-wire fence, Felani was shot dead by the BSF men before she was able to do so.
Felani's death triggered a huge global outcry. The BSF men handed over the body of Felani on January 8.
After investigation, the BSF submitted the chargesheet against its constable Amiya Ghosh who shot the girl. On August 19, 2013, a special court constituted by the BSF had acquitted Amiya Ghosh of the charge.
Meanwhile, in the wake of widespread criticism of the acquittal, BSF decided to revise the murder trial. Earlier, on November 16, 2014, the revision trial resumed at the court. The revision trial was scheduled to begin on March 25 but the court later deferred it.
