Trial begins in Faruqui murder case after 12yrs
The trial in the murder case of Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqui has begun, 12 years after he was killed at his residence in the capital.
On Sunday (November 8), Dhaka 9th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Shahidul Islam rejected the discharge petitions filed by the accused and ordered the framing of charges. The court also fixed December 6 for recording witness testimonies.
Public Prosecutor Aminul Islam Sarker confirmed the development.
Three accused – Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Engineer alias Riaz alias Ripon, and Abu Rayhan Mahmud Abdul Hadi – appeared before the court on Sunday.
Their lawyers, including Zayedur Rahman Zahid, filed petitions seeking their discharge from the case.
Another accused, Hadisur Rahman Sagar, who is currently in jail, appeared before the court virtually.
During the hearing, Public Prosecutor Aminul Islam Sarker argued in favour of framing charges. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court rejected the discharge petitions.
Two other accused, Mahmud Ibn Bashar and Rafiqul Islam Fardin, remained absent as they are absconding.
According to the case documents, Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqui was killed at his residence at House No. 174 in the capital’s East Rajabazar area on August 27, 2014. Cash and gold ornaments were also looted from the house.
Following the incident, his son Faisal Faruqui filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station against eight to 10 unidentified people.
After completing the investigation, Additional Superintendent of Police KM Abul Kashem of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who was the investigation officer, submitted the charge sheet to the court on November 5, 2024.
The charge sheet named six accused in the case.
It also recommended the discharge of six individuals whose full names and addresses could not be established and another six for lack of evidence.
The court subsequently discharged those 12 individuals.
According to the charge sheet, a meeting was held on the evening of August 26, 2014, at the father-in-law’s house of Emon, an associate of militant leader Jamai Faruq, in Kamarpara near East West Medical College in Ashulia.
The meeting was allegedly held to plan Faruqui’s murder.
The charge sheet alleged that JMB leader Jamai Faruq and several associates, including Mahmud Ibn Bashar, Engineer Ripon, Hadisur Rahman Sagar and Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, jointly planned and carried out the killing.
It further alleged that Faruqui was murdered over ideological differences and that cash and gold ornaments were looted from his residence.
According to the investigation, Faruqui was a follower of Sufi beliefs and an Islamic preacher who supported shrine-based religious practices.
The charge sheet said the accused followed the ideology of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and opposed the establishment of shrines and associated religious practices.
It alleged that a faction of JMB led by Jamai Faruq carried out the killing because of these ideological differences.