The High Court expressed on Monday frustration over delay in submitting the investigation report of the journalist couple Sagar-Runi murder case.
"The investigation hasn't ended even in long eight years. Will the case only be listed as a sensational case," questioned the HC.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the comment after hearing a statement of the investigation officer (IO) of the case Md Shafiqul Islam, who is also an ASP of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The IO appeared in the court to inform it of the progress in investigation into the case in compliance with an earlier order.
He said, "I got the responsibility of investigating the case on July 4 this year. Six more IOs preceded me."
"The investigation is in progress. Four DNA samples have been sent to laboratories of the FBI, an intelligence service of the USA. Two of these samples did not match with the accused while the results of the rest two have not been found yet."
But he expressed hope that the results of the other two samples might come soon.
After hearing the officer's statement, the HC fixed November 14 to pass further order on the matter.
Earlier on October 20, the same HC bench had summoned the investigation officer of the case as he could not submit the probe report even in last few years, while hearing a petition filed by an accused in the case, Tanveer Rahman.
Advocate Fawzia Karim Firoze appeared in the court on behalf of Tanveer Rahman while Deputy Attorney General Sarwar Hossain Bappy stood for the state.
On October 1, 2019, a Dhaka court asked RAB to submit probe report of the journalist couple murder case by November 14.
Metropolitan magistrate Debobrata Biswas fixed the new date for submitting the report as the investigation officer of the case did not submit any report on that day.
Earlier, different courts expressed their dissatisfaction over the investigation and agency's failure to unearth the real clue to the murder and to arrest the real culprits.
Sagar Sarowar, news editor of private TV station Maasranga, and his wife Meherun Runi, senior reporter of another channel ATN Bangla, was killed at their rented flat in the capital's West Rajabazar on February 11 in 2012.
Their only son Mahir Sarowar Megh, then 5, was at home during the incident.
Following the murder, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police started investigation into the case.
Later, the case was shifted to DB police. However, on April 18, 2012, the High Court, in an order, shifted the case to RAB for investigation as the former had expressed its inability to resolve the case.
At least eight people including Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Hasan alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, two security guards of the couple's house Palash Rudra Paul and Enamul Hoque and the couple's "family friend" Tanveer Rahman had been arrested but Tanveer later got freed on bail.
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