HC accepts convicts’ jail appeals for hearing

The High Court on Sunday accepted jail appeals filed by Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, who were sentenced to death by a tribunal for the rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Dhaka's Pallabi.

The HC bench comprising Justice Mohammad Ali and Justice Md Saiful Islam passed the order for preparing paper book for hearing on the appeals.

The two had filed jail appeals with the High Court against their death sentences handed down by the tribunal in the child rape and murder case.

Earlier in the court proceedings, Attorney General (AG) Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal sought priority hearing on the death reference and appeal of the rape and murder cases of Magura's eight-year-old Achia and Ramisa of Pallabi.

The Attorney General made the submission before a special HC bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja.

At the time, he told the court that the state party would not seek any adjournment in the hearing of any death reference and appeal related to women and child abuse pending before this bench.

On the other hand, the HC bench accepted the jail appeal, filed by the prison authorities, of Sohel Rana and Swapna Akhter, who were sentenced to death for the rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa in Pallabi, Dhaka.