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A Dhaka court has sentenced to death the sole suspect of the murder of college teacher Krishna Kaberi.
Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 judge Judge Shahed Nuruddin announced the verdict for Zahirul Islam Palash, who is on the run since securing bail from the High Court.
Zahirul was a business associate of Krishna’s husband and then BRTA Deputy Director Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas. He was manager of Haji Ahmed Securities, a brokerage house in Gulshan.
On Mar 30, 2015, Palash went to the couple’s home at Mohammadpur to greet Krishna's husband Sitangshu on his birthday with cake, sweets and flowers.
Biswas lost consciousness after sipping fruit juice which Zahirul had spiked. He then assaulted him with a hammer.
When Krishna tried to save her husband, she was battered mercilessly along with Sitangshu. During the scuffle, her saree caught fire from the candles on the cake, which left her severely burnt.
When their daughters ‘Shruti’, 14, and ‘Atri’, 8, shouted for help, they were also attacked by Zahirul. Krishna, who taught at the Mission International College in Dhaka's Adabar, succumbed to the burn injuries at hospital the next day.
On Thursday, the judge also fined Zahirul Tk 100,000 under Section-302 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In addition to death penalty, he was given life imprisonment for assaulting Sitangshu and his children.
The inability to pay the fine will add another year to his jail term.
Kaberi’s husband Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas is currently a director at BRTA.
His brother Shudhangshu Shekhar Biswas had filed the murder case at Mohammadpur Police Station with Zahirul as the sole suspect.
Sub-inspector Delowar Hossai, the case’s investigating officer, submitted the charges at court on May 30, 2016 after a year of investigation.
Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas had opened a Beneficiary Owner Account or BO account through Haji Ahmed Brothers Securities with Tk 800,000, said the murder chargesheet.
Zahirul attempted to kill Sitangshu over the money.
After being indicted on April 2017, Zahirul provided the court a confessional statement.
At least twenty-two witnesses testified for the incident. There was no defence hearing since Zahirul fled after receiving bail from the High Court.
On Apr 20, 2017, Judge Shahed Nuruuddin of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 had ordered trial to begin after charges were submitted.
The verdict day was set for Jan 3 after hearing was wrapped on Dec 23 last year, reports bdnews24.com.