Ahsanullah Master murder case verdict: SC drops leave-to-appeal petitions

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today dropped from its hearing list the leave-to-appeal petitions filed challenging the High Court verdict in Awami League lawmaker Ahsanullah Master murder case. 

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain dropped the petitions from its list for the time being as one of the judges had earlier dealt with the case and had delivered verdict on it when he was a judge of the HC Division, Khandker Mahbub Hossain, the principal defence lawyer of the case, told The Daily Star. 

He said Justice Obaidul Hassan, a judge of the Appellate Division bench, had heard the case and delivered the verdict on it when he conducted an HC bench, and therefore, he cannot take part in hearing on the matter now.

The apex court will hold hearing on the petitions when the bench will be reconstituted, Mahbub Hossain added.

Assailants killed Ahsanullah Master, MP and a freedom fighter, and Omar Faruq Ratan, a student, and wounded 17 others in a staccato burst of fire on a rally of Swechchhasebak League near the MP's house in Tongi on May 7, 2004.

The next day, his brother filed the case against 19 people, including Nurul Islam Sarkar, a Jubo Dal leader.

On April 16, 2005, a Dhaka court handed death sentences to 22 people and life terms to six others. A decade later, On June 15, 2016, the HC confirmed death penalty of six persons, including Nurul.

It, however, commuted capital punishment of seven others to life imprisonment, upheld life term of two and acquitted 11 of charges.