Recording statement of Mitu’s children: HC asks IO to strictly follow the law

The High Court today directed that the investigation officer can record statements of two minor children of former Superintendent of Chattogram police Babul Akhter -- strictly following the relevant rules of the Children Act – in the case filed over his wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu murder.

The investigation officer (IO), also officer of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), will record their statements in presence of their grandfather (Babul's father), district social service officer and a female police officer at the district social service office in Magura, the HC said.

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In response to a revision petition, the HC asked the IO to inform them at least three days before recording the statements of the 13-year and seven-year-old children of Babul Akhter, who is now in the custody.

Grandfather of the children, Abdul Wadud Miah, will remain bound to present the children before the IO on time at the District Social Service office in Magura and he must not make any dillydally to this effect, the HC said in the order.

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Mitu murder: Court asks for her children to be produced before IO in 15 days

The HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Shahed Nuruddin passed the order following a revision petition filed by Babul Akhter's father Abdul Wadud Miah and his (Babul) brother Habibur Rahman Labu challenging a Chattogram court order.

The Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Chattogram on March 16 this year Babul Akter's father to produce Mitu and Babul's children before the IO within 15 days in connection with the murder case filed with Panchlaish Police Station.

Babul's children are now with their grandfather in Magura after Babul was arrested in the Mitu murder case filed by Mitu's father Mosharraf Hossain on May 12 last year.

Revision petitioners' lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told The Daily Star that according to the Children Act, 1974, the children must be questioned at the children at a congenial environment in the Social Service Office.

But, the Chattogram court ordered to interrogate the children of Babul Akhter at the IO's office which is not permitted in the Children Act, he added.

On June 5, 2016, Mitu was stabbed and shot dead while she was taking her son to his school bus stop at the port city's GEC intersection.