Sagar-Runi murder: 85 dates, still no end to probe

Mon Jan 24, 2022 01:04 PM Last update on: Mon Jan 24, 2022 01:08 PM

A Dhaka court today again asked Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) to submit — by February 23 — the probe report of a case filed over the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

With today’s date, the investigation officer has so far taken 85 dates to complete the investigation.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Tariqul Islam passed the order after Rab’s Additional Superintendent Khondoker Shafiqul Alam, also the case’s investigation officer, failed to submit the report.

Earlier, two separate courts expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in completing the probe into the case.

Sagar, news editor at private TV channel Maasranga, and his wife Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were killed in the early hours of February 11, 2012 in their rented flat in the capital’s West Razabazar.

After Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police and the Detective Branch of police, Rab was tasked with the probe on April 18, 2012.

At least eight people, including suspects Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Hasan alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, and 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 in connection with the murder.

Later, Tanveer and Palash got out of jail on bail. The others are now behind bars.