Sylhet court on Thursday acquitted three accused, including former expatriates’ welfare minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, in a case over an alleged attempt to kill former Awami League leader and minister Suranjit Sengupta in a grenade attack in 2004.
Sylhet Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Swapan Kumar Sarkar acquitted Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Lutfozzaman Babar and former Habiganj municipality mayor GK Gaus after finding that the charges brought against them could not be proved, Public Prosecutor Abul Hossain said.
According to the prosecution, arguments in the case concluded in April this year.
On 7 April, the court recorded statements from the accused under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding the allegations against them.
The case stems from a grenade attack carried out on June 21, 2004, during a rally of Suranjit Sengupta at Dirai Bazar in Sunamganj district.
A Jubo League activist was killed and 29 others were injured in the attack, while Suranjit escaped unhurt.
Sub-Inspector Helal Uddin of Dirai Police Station filed the case against unidentified persons following the incident.
On October 22, 2020, the court framed charges against 10 people, including the three acquitted on Thursday, in two cases related to the grenade attack.
