Former Superintendent of Police (SP) Babul Akhter comes out of the Chattogram Central Jail at 5:45PM on Wednesday. Photo: Collected
Former Superintendent of Police (SP) Babul Akhter has been released on bail after serving 3.5 years in prison in a case filed over the murder of his wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu in 2016.
He came out of the Chattogram Central Jail at 5:45PM on Wednesday and left the place by a car. However, Babul Akhtar did not talk to anyone present including the media personnel at this time, according to the sources.
Earlier in the day, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) upheld a High Court order that granted bail to Babul Akter in Mitu murder case.
After the Appellate Division hearing, Babul's lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir said that there is no legal bar to releasing Babul Akter following the court's order.
On May 12, 2021, Babul was arrested as the prime accused in his wife Mitu murder case. On 27 November, a High Court division bench of Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza granted Babul six-month interim bail.
However, Mitu's father Mosharraf Hossain filed an appeal with the chamber court. After hearing the petition on Wednesday, Appellate Division Judge-in-Chamber Justice Md Rezaul Haque issued ‘no order’.
On June 5, 2016, Mitu was stabbed and shot dead while she was taking her son to the school bus stop in GEC intersection of Chattogram city. After the murder, as the complainant Babul filed a murder case against three unidentified men at Panchlaish Police Station.
Then, the case was taken over by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) from the Detective Branch of Chattogram Metropolitan Police.
As the PBI found evidence linking Babul to the crime. Mitu’s father filed another case against eight people, making Babul the prime accused in the case on May 12, 2021. PBI arrested Babul on the same day.
Mitu's father also alleged that Babul killed his wife over an extra-marital affair.
On September 13, 2021, PBI submitted a charge sheet to the court, naming Babul and six others as accused. The court accepted the charge sheet on October 10.
Chattogram 3rd Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jasim Uddin on March 13, 2023, framed charges against seven, including Babul Akter, in the sensational murder case. The other accused in the case are- Motaleb Miah alias Wasim, Anwar Hossain, Ehteshamul Haque Bhola, Shahjahan Miah, Kamrul Islam Shikder Musa and Khairul Islam.
Babul after that filed the petition with the High Court, challenging the legality of Chattogram court's indictment order. The High Court on May 9, 2023, however, scrapped that petition.
After failing to secure bail in the lower court, Babul applied to the High Court earlier this year.
