Bail prayers of 3 rejected, father files naraji petition

The council also observed strike in all educational institutions yesterday protesting alleged injustice in the case.

The Special Court of Women and Children Repression Prevention, however, recorded the naraji (no-confidence) petition filed by Mili's father Mansur Rahman Mollah, the plaintiff of the case.

Mollah in his petition alleged that investigation officer of the case did not examine the incident properly and collected statements of the witnesses at his will to save the accused.

He said the samples, which were sent for DNA tests, were different from the seized ones and not preserved properly for DNA tests. Besides, the DNA tests were done three months later.

During a hearing on the bail petition, lawyers of the accused told the court that the DNA tests of the seized samples and bloods of the accused proved them innocent.

“We feel sympathy for the loss of Mili, but we do not expect innocent people to bear the brunt”, said defence lawyer Parvez T Zahedi.

The Special Public Prosecutor Mokbul Hossain and other senior lawyers appeared for the state. They urged the court to find out why and how the accused enjoyed the 'costly and rare privilege' of DNA tests in Singapore while hundreds of rape and murder cases are pending for long in the country.

“Why did the home ministry's monitoring cell (that was directly supervising the investigation) decided for the DNA tests without any prayer from any corner?” said lawyer Saiful Alam Shelly.

The court will hear on the petition and the final report on October 2.

The nine-year-old Mili was raped and killed in her house on May 3.

Ali Ayub Chowdhury, assistant superintendent of police at Rajshahi Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted the final report in the case on September 19, recommending release of the three accused on the basis of the DNA tests.

Meanwhile, a citizens' council enforced students' strike and staged demonstrations demanding cancellation of the 'controversial' DNA tests and police reports in the Mili rape and murder case.

No classes and examinations were held at Rajshahi University, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi Medical College and other colleges and schools.

The students, teachers, women leaders and professionals also staged a demonstration..

Later, they put up a barricade on the Chapainawabganj-Dhaka highway at Haragram point for an hour after police barred them from entering the court premises to stage rallies.

Mohila Parishad General Secretary Kolpona Roy, Mohila Awami League leader Morjina Parveen, NGO leader Debashish Pramanik Debu, Workers' Party city secretary Liaquat Ali, BSD leader Ruhul Kuddus Tunu spoke at a rally on the road at Haragram.

The three accused -- Fazle Rabi Lion, Saduzzaman Minar, and Fazlur Rahman -- were sent to jail hajat after the court rejected their bail prayer.