Journalist Balu murder case: Five sentenced to life imprisonment in Khulna
The police filed two separate cases in connection to this incident
A court has sentenced five accused to life imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000 each in the murder case of Humayun Kabir Balu, Ekushey Padak-winning journalist and the editor of the Daily Janmabhumi, a local newspaper of Khulna district.
Judge Saifuzzaman Hero of the Khulna Divisional Public Security Disruption Crime Suppression Tribunal announced the verdict on Monday.
At the time of the announcement Zahid alias Sabuj, Naju alias Ripon, Shadhin alias Syed Iqbal Hossain and Rimon were present in the courtroom. Another accused Masum alias Jahangir is absconding.
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Public Prosecutor Advocate Arif Mahmud Liton presented the case on behalf of the state, and advocate SM Manjur Ahmed and Chowdhury Touhidur Rahman Tushar represented the accused.
On June 27, 2004, Humayun Kabir Balu was killed in a terrorist attack at the entrance of Daily Janmabhumi office at Shantidham intersection of Khulna town.
The police filed two separate cases in connection to this incident.
On February 13, 2008, the then Judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal, Mohammad Abdus Salam Sikder, acquitted all seven accused.
On the other hand, on April 15, 2009, the court directed to send the case to the CID for further investigation in response to a plea from the state counsel, Advocate Enamul Haque.
Seven officers investigated the case so far. Lastly, the case was investigated by Shahadat Hossain, the senior assistant superintendent police officer of CID.
