Aug 21 grenade attack: SC continues hearing appeal against acquittal of Tarique, Babar

The Supreme Court yesterday continued for third day hearing on the appeals against a High Court verdict that acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, and others in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed also fixed today for further hearing.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Masud placed arguments on behalf of the state, praying to the apex court to scrap the HC judgement and to affirm the trial court verdict in the cases.

Defence lawyers SM Shahjahan, Zainul Abedin, Kayser Kamal, Mohammad Shishir Manir, Jaiad Bin Amjad and Md Maksud Ullah were present in the courtroom during the proceedings.

On June 2, the Appellate Division allowed the state to move two appeals against the HC verdict in the cases.

On December 1 last year, the HC acquitted all 49 accused, including Tarique and Babar, scrapping the trial court verdicts that had earlier convicted and sentenced them in connection with the grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004.

The acquittal came following hearings on death references and appeals filed by several convicts.

Later the state filed the appeals with the Appellate Division seeking to overturn the HC decision.