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Sohail Rana and Swapna Khatun, two convicts sentenced to death for the rape and murder of seven-year-old Ramisa in Pallabi, Mirpur, Dhaka, have filed jail appeals with the High Court.
On Sunday (June 14), the two appeals were presented for an admissibility hearing before a High Court bench comprising Justice Mohammad Ali and Justice Md. Saiful Islam. Prior to this, the necessary documents, including the death reference of the case, had been sent to the High Court.
On June 7, Dhaka Metropolitan Children and Women Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Masrur Salekin announced the verdict in the sensational case. The verdict ordered Sohail Rana and Swapna Khatun to be executed by hanging. However, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure, the sentence will only be carried out after approval by the High Court.
The verdict also fined Sohail Rana BDT 5 lakh and Swapna Khatun BDT 2 lakh. The court directed that the fine money be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased Ramisa. It was also stated that in case of failure to pay the fine, it would be collected by confiscating and selling the assets of the convicts.
The court stated that according to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000, the convicts have the right to appeal to the High Court within the stipulated time.
According to case documents, on May 25, Pallabi Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Ohiduzzaman submitted the charge sheet against the two accused after completing the investigation. On the same day, the case was sent to the tribunal. Judicial proceedings began on June 1 with the framing of charges, and on June 2, the testimonies of 16 prosecution witnesses were completed in a single day.
The following day, June 3, the statements of the accused were recorded under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
According to the case details, child Ramisa was raped and murdered on May 19. After the incident, the prime accused, Sohail Rana, escaped by cutting a window grill. Subsequently, upon receiving information via the national emergency service 999, the police took Swapna Khatun into custody and arrested Sohail Rana from the Fatullah area of Narayanganj.
Ramisa’s father filed a case at Pallabi Police Station regarding the incident. Later, on May 21, Sohail Rana gave a confessional statement in court. Following the court’s order, both accused were sent to prison.
Currently, the hearings for the death reference and jail appeals of the case are ongoing in the High Court.