HuJI leaders Mufti Hannan, Sharif face appeal verdict for 2004 grenade attack

The Appellate Division will deliver its verdict on Wednesday for two leaders of Harkat-ul-Jihad (HuJI) sentenced to death for a grenade attack on the British envoy in 2004.

The two militants – Mufti Hannan and Sharif Shahedul Alam aka Bipul – appealed to overturn a High Court verdict which upheld their death penalties.

A bench led by Chief Justice SK Sinha finished hearing arguments for their appeal on Tuesday.

In 2004, then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury came under a grenade attack while coming out of Hazrat Shahjalal’s shrine in his hometown Sylhet.

Assistant Sub-inspector Kamal Uddin died on the spot and constables Rubel Ahmed and one Habil Miah succumbed to their injuries in a hospital.

Anwar Chowdhury and almost 40 employees of the Sylhet district administration were injured in the attack.

Police filed a case at Kotwali police station over the attack the same day.

On Jun 7, 2007 they filed a chargesheet against Mufti Abdul Hannan, his brother Mohibullal alias Mofizur Rahman aka ‘Mofiz’ aka Ovi, Sharif Shahedul Alam and ‘Delwar’ aka ‘Ripon’.

Police did not file charges against Mufti Moin Uddin alias Abu Jandal aka Masum Billah aka ‘Khazr’ because they did not have his permanent address.

He was later added to the chargesheet. The chargesheet was accepted in November of that year.

After the deposition of 56 witnesses, Sylhet Speedy Trial Tribunal judge Shamim Md Afzal sentenced Mufti Hannan, Bipul and Ripon to death and Mohibullah and Abu Jandal to life in prison in 2008.

The decision was upheld on Feb 11 by the High Court.

Mufti Hannan and Bipul appealed against the decision on Jul 14.

Defence lawyer Md Ali told reporters that he had heard Mohibullah and Mufti Moin Uddin would not be appealing their life sentences.