Dhaka, May 5 (bdnews24.com) -- The High Court has acquitted 13 accused, including assistant police commissioner Mohammad Akram Hossain, in the murder case of university student Rubel in police custody.
A High Court bench comprising justices A K M Fazlur Rahman and Muhammad Abdul Hafiz passed the order on Thursday.
However, the High Court upheld the sentence of sub-inspector Hayatul Islam.
In the lower court verdict, 12 accused were sentenced to life term imprisonment while another to one year's imprisonment.
Shamim Reza Rubel, a 24-year-old student of Independent University, died from injuries sustained during interrogation by members of the detective branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on July 23, 1998.
On June 17, 2002, Dhaka's Additional Sessions Judge's Court sentenced the 13 accused to life term in jail in the case filed over the murder.
Legal proceedings got prolonged as the accused appealed in the High Court against the verdict.
Assistant police commissioner Akram Hossain is now in jail, while the other accused are on bail.
Advocate Anisul Haque argued for the accused during the hearing while deputy attorney general advocate Shakila Rowshon stood for the state.
Rowshon told bdnews24.com that they would appeal in the Appellate Division against the High Court verdict.
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