A Dhaka court on Wednesday set 5 November for submitting the investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.
The deadline was extended after Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) failed to submit the report.
With this latest extension, the date for submitting the investigation report on the murder case has now been deferred 130 times.
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam fixed the fresh date. Prosecution Department Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam confirmed the matter.
On 11 February 2012, Sagar, news editor of Maasranga Television, and Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were murdered at their rented residence in West Rajabazar in Dhaka.
Their son, Mahir Sarowar Megh, was at home during the incident. Following the murders, the deceased Runi’s brother, Nosher Alam Roman, filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
Eight persons were accused in the case – Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, two security guards of Sagar-Runi’s residence Palash Rudra Paul and Enayet Ahmed, and their acquaintance Tanvir Rahman Khan.
Among the accused, Tanvir and Palash are currently out on bail, while the others remain in jail custody.
Initially, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police investigated the case. Later, the investigation responsibility was handed over to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB).
Subsequently, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was given the responsibility of the investigation.
On 30 September last year, the High Court directed the transfer of Sagar-Runi murder investigation from RAB to a high-powered taskforce formed through the home ministry.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam passed the order.
Following the directive, the government formed a four-member taskforce on 23 October, naming the head of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) as its convenor.
