Rape, murder of O-level student: HC denies bail to Fardin

Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday denied bail to Fardin Iftekhar Dihan, lone accused in the case filed over the rape and murder of an O-level student at Dhaka’s Kalabagan in January 2021.
The HC, however, asked the lower court concerned to finish the trial proceedings of the case expeditiously, saying that the tenure of stipulated 180 days for completing the trial has already expired.
The bench of Justice SM Emdadul Hoque and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar passed the order after holding hearing for nine phases on the bail petition filed by Fardin, said Deputy Attorney General Sujit Chatterjee Bappi.
He said the lower court has just started recording statements from witnesses of the case and therefore, Fardin cannot be granted bail.
Meanwhile, Fardin’s lawyer Zainul Abedin said his client has been suffering in jail for two years, but the trial court has recorded statements from only three witnesses out of total 58.

The HC has observed that Fardin is entitled to get bail as the lower court could not finish the trial of the case in stipulated 180 days from the date of receiving the case record, he added.

Senior lawyer Yusuf Hossain Humayun also appeared for Fardin during hearing of his bail petition.

The victim’s father on January 7, 2021 filed the case with Kalabagan Police Station against Fardin under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act after the 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered.

According to the case statement, Fardin manipulated the girl into going to his flat and raped her when his family members were away. The victim bled profusely and fell unconscious.

Fardin then took her to a hospital to deflect blame, the complainant alleged. On January 8 the same year, he gave his confessional statement before a Dhaka court. On February 16 last year, the trial court framed charges against Fardin in the case.