Staff Reporter :
A Gaibandha court on Thursday sentenced seven people, including Gaibandha’s former Jatiya Party (JP) lawmaker Colonel (retd) Abdul Kader Khan to death in MP Manzurul Islam Liton murder case.
The other convicts are Kader’s Personal Assistant Mohammad Shamsuzzoha Sarker, his driver Abdul Hannan, Anwarul Islam alias Rana, Shaheen Mia Santo, Rashedul Hasan Mehdi, Chandon Kumar Roy, Subol Kumar Roy and Abdul Hannan.
Of them, Chondon is absconding and Butcher Shobol Chondro Roy died in jail during the trial.
Besides, Kader is now serving life term after the court sentenced him on June 11 in another case related to the murder, but under the arms law over the recovery of weapons that police said were used in the killing.
Judge Dilip Kumar Bhoumik of Gaibandha District and Sessions Judges Court handed down the sentence, reports our district correspondent quoting Public Prosecutor Shafiqul Islam.
On November 19, the same Judge fixed Thursday to deliver the verdict after concluding the arguments from both sides.
Manzurul Islam Liton, ruling Awami League (AL) lawmaker of Gaibandha-1, was killed after unknown assailants opened fire on him inside his home at Sundarganj upazila of the district on December 31, 2016.
Liton’s younger sister Fahmida Bulbul Kakoli filed the murder case with Sundarganj Police Station the next day.
On February 7, 2018, a Gaibandha court framed charges against eight people, including former JP lawmaker Abdul Kader.
Police submitted the charge sheet of the murder case against the eight-Col (rtd) Abdul Kader Khan, Shamsuzzoha, Anowarul Islam, Shaheen Mia, Rashedul Hasani, Chandon Kumar, Subol Kumar and Abdul Hannan-on April 30, 2017.
Of the accused, the law enforcers arrested seven were while Chandan, chief associate of Col (retd) Kader, went into hiding. After the charge sheet submission, Subol died in jail due to illness.
All the seven accused confessed to their involvement in the murder before the magistrate under Section 164. In the charge sheet, it was mentioned that Kader had been planning for killing Liton since 2014.
The court recorded statement of 50 prosecution witnesses during the trial, which had started on April 30, 2017.
