SC confirms death for JMB militant in court bombings, scraps acquittal of another

The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of JMB operative Masumur Rahman Masum for the 2005 Lakshmipur court bombings.

It has also scrapped the High Court verdict that had acquitted another JMB activist, Amzad Ali, and ordered a retrial.

On Wednesday, a four-member appeals bench, led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, gave its decision on the State’s appeal against Ali’s acquittal and the defence plea against the death sentence by the High Court.

“In its verdict, the High Court observed that proper cognizance had not been taken of the charges against Amzad Ali. That’s why the Appellate Division ordered a retrial,” Deputy Attorney General Shashank Shekhar Sarkar told bdnews24.com.

The court ordered the prison authorities to shift Amzad Ali from the “condemned” cell to any ordinary block, said Sarkar, who represented the State on Wednesday.

In October 2005, a bomb attack on the Lakhsmipur court premises left one dead.

Two cases were filed over the incident – one for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Act.

According to the case details, Judge MA Sufian, Bench Officer Md Shafiqullah and several others were injured in the attack. 

Of them, Mojibul Haq, a petitioner, succumbed to his injuries later.

Lakshmipur Speedy Trial Tribunal handed the death penalty to Masum, Ataur Rahman Sunny and Amzad Ali in August, 2006.

Sunny, JMB military wing chief, was hanged in 2007 in another case.

Masum and Amzad Ali moved the High Court against the lower court’s verdict.

In 2013, the High Court upheld the capital punishment for Masum but acquitted Ali.

Masum later moved Supreme Court against the death penalty, while the State appealed against the acquittal of Ali.