Next hearing on Aug 15

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 passed the order as lawyers for one of the ten accused sought adjournment of the hearing on charge framing against them.

Gautam Das, 30, Faridpur bureau chief of the Dainik Samakal, was strangulated by a group of unknown assailants at his office at dead of night on November 17 last year.

Later, Samakal Faridpur District Correspondent Hasanuzzaman filed a murder case with Faridpur Kotwali Police Station without mentioning names of killers the next day.

The investigation officer (IO) pressed charges against 10 people involved in the killing on January 19, showing 31 people as prosecution witnesses.

The chargesheeted accused are Asif Imtiaz alias Bulu, Kazi Murad alias Murad, Zahid, Apon alias Kamrul Islam, Asad Bin Kadir, Siddiqur Rahman alias Siddiq Miah, Tamzid Hossain alias Babu, Rajib Hassan Miah, Asif Imran alias Imran and Abu Taher Mohammad Mortuza Ahsan alias Appollo Biswas.

Of them, Asif Imtiaz alias Bulu, Kazi Murad alias Murad, Zahid and Apon alias Kamrul Islam are still at large while six others are now on bail.