Ovi finally charged in model Tinni murder case

Dhaka, July 24 (bdnews24.com) – Eight years after the sensational murder of model Tinni, police have finally framed charges against former MP Golam Faruk Ovi.

Dhaka's seventh additional district and session judge Mizanur Rahman on July 14 set Aug 15 for taking witness accounts after showing the accused as 'absconding'.

A former MP of Anwar Hossain Manju's faction of Jatiya Party Ovi went into hiding soon after Tinni's murder came to light. Ovi is said to be living in Canada.

Earlier on Mar 14, the then Dhaka's district and sessions judge Krishna Devnath decided to proceed with the case against the former Jatya Party MP and student leader and transfered the case to an additional district judge for charge framing and trial.

The case caused a sensation when the body of model Syeda Tania Mahbub, popularly known as Tinni, was found under the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge over the Buriganga on Nov 10, 2002.

The case accuses Ovi of murdering Tinni to keep his illicit relationship with her under wraps.

The charge sheet also says that the accused fled the country following receipt of bail in an arms case that sentenced him to 17 years in jail and that he is currently in Canada.

On Feb 26, 2007, a 'red alert' was sent out for his arrest and attempts were made to bring him back through the Interpol.

The murder case was filed against 'unidentified' perpetrators by Keraniganj police sub-inspector Mohammed Shafiuddin on Nov 11, 2002.

Later arrest warrants were issued against Tinni's husband Shafakat Hossain Pial and five of his friends. But police dropped the case against them due to lack of any solid evidence. However, Ovi's involvement in her murder emerged following their interrogation.

After about six years, police filed case against Ovi on Nov 8, 2008, showing him as a fugitive.

The charge sheet stated that Ovi developed an illicit relationship with Tinni but refused to marry her when she pressed.

He reportedly killed her when Tinni became persistent in her demand to give her social recognition through marriage.

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