The process of extradition of Nur Hossain, prime accused in the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder case, from India seems to be gathering momentum with the West Bengal government seeking to withdraw charges of trespassing against him.
The Indian state has moved the Barasat CJM court to drop all charges against Nur before another court framed charges against him.
District Judge Probir Kr Mishra in North 24 Parganas district was scheduled to frame charges against Nur Hossain and his two associates — Wahaduzaman Shamim and Khan Suman — yesterday.
But after the proceedings began yesterday, the court was told that the West Bengal government had appealed for withdrawing the charges against Nur.
“Once the state government withdraws the case, it will be very easy to extradite Nur Hossain to Bangladesh,” said Anup Ghosh, counsel for Wahaduzaman Shamim and Khan Suman who were also arrested with Nur on the same charge.
The CJM court will hold hearing on the appeal to drop the charges against Nur Hossain on September 21.
However, the trial of Shamim and Suman would continue, said Anup Ghosh.
On April 27, 2014, Narayanganj city panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his driver and three associates, lawyer Chandan Sarkar, and his driver were abducted. Their bodies were found in the Shitalakkhya river later. Nur Hossaion was the main accused in the case. After the killing, Nur fled to India and was detained by law enforcers in Kolkata for intruding into India. He is now at the Dum Dum Central Jail.
On April 8 this year, detectives submitted the charge sheet of the Narayanganj seven-murder case against 35, naming Nur Hossain as the prime accused.
In June, 2014, Bangladesh sent a request to India urging it to return Nur Hossain.
Later replying to an Indian external affairs ministry letter received in December, the home ministry sent another letter to the Indian external affairs ministry on March 1 seeking date and time of handing over of Nur.
The Indian letter mentioned that India was ready to send Nur back and it wanted to know when and where the country could do so.
If Nur is handed over to Bangladesh, it would be the first instance in which a suspect is handed over to Bangladesh under the extradition treaty between the two countries.
Source: The Daily Star
