A Lalmonirhat court on Sunday sentenced a man to death and his parents to five years in jail for the murder of seven-year-old Nandini Roy and concealment of her body in Aditmari upazila.
Lalmonirhat District and Sessions Judge Md Haidar Ali pronounced the verdict around 11am, just six working days after charges were framed in the case.
Bidhan Chandra Roy, 22, was sentenced to death and fined Tk20,000. In default of payment, he will have to serve an additional three months in jail.
Bidhan’s parents, Ranjit Kumar Roy and Mamata Rani, were each sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for aiding the crime. They were also fined Tk5,000 each, in default, to serve three more months in jail.
The case drew attention for the speed of the trial, with the court examining 23 witnesses and the evidence within three working days before hearing arguments and delivering the verdict.
According to court sources, Nandini, daughter of Nalini Kanta of Folimari village, went missing from near her home on the afternoon of 15 June.
The following morning, locals and police recovered her body, wrapped in a sack, from a pit in a nearby cornfield.
Nandini’s father, Nalini Mohan Barman, filed a murder case with Aditmari Police Station.
Police arrested Bidhan, son of their neighbour Ranjit Kumar Roy, the same day on suspicion of involvement in the killing.
Bidhan later confessed to the murder in a statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
After completing the investigation, police submitted a charge sheet against the accused under Sections 302, 404, 201 and 34 of the Penal Code.
The court framed charges on 16 August. Over the next three days, 17-19 August, it recorded testimony from 23 prosecution witnesses and examined the evidence.
After hearing arguments on 20 August, the court fixed on Sunday for the verdict.
The public prosecutor said the prosecution had proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt through witness testimony and documentary and material evidence.
He said the swift disposal of the case would strengthen public confidence in the justice system.
According to the prosecution, Nandini was killed over her earrings and a family dispute.
Defence lawyer Advocate Lutfur Rahman Ripon, while expressing respect for the court, said he was dissatisfied with the verdict.
Nandini’s father, Nalini Kanta, expressed satisfaction with the verdict and urged the government to ensure the death sentence is carried out without delay.
“My innocent child was brutally murdered. We are satisfied with the justice delivered by the court. We now want the government to ensure the death sentence is executed as soon as possible,” he said.
Security was tightened around the court premises from the morning ahead of the verdict.
After the verdict, the three convicts were taken to Lalmonirhat District Jail under tight security.
