The death references in the Maj (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan murder verdict have reached the High Court, eight days after the sententing in a Cox's Bazar court.
The death references reached the branch concerned of the High Court, said Mohammad Saifur Rahman, Special Officer of the Supreme Court, reports UNB.
According to the law, if a convict is sentenced to death by a lower court, all the documents of the case are sent to the High Court for approval of the penalty.
When the case ‘Paperbook’-file containing all documents- is prepared the hearing on death references is held as per serial.
On January 31, A Cox’s Bazar court sentenced former OC Pradeep Kumar Das and police inspector Liakat Ali to death and six others to life term imprisonment in the Sinha murder case.
The six lifers are constable Sagar Dev, sub-inspector Nandolal Rakkhit, constable Rubel Sharma, Nurul Amin, Md Nizamuddin and Ayaz Uddin.
The court, however, acquitted seven other accused.
The grisly murder
On July 31, 2020, Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur police check-post in Baharchhara Union of Cox's Bazar while returning to the town after filming for a documentary.
On August 5, 2020, Sinha's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a case with Teknaf Senior Judicial Magistrate Court accusing nine members of law enforcement agencies of being involved in the killing, including former officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model Police Station Pradeep Kumar Das and Baharchhara Police Outpost inspector Liakat Ali.
On December 13, the same year, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) submitted a charge-sheet against 15 people, including ex-OC Pradeep, police source Ayaz and three APBn members, in the case.
On June 27, 2021, the court framed charges against them.
