The High Court today rejected a petition of 22 accused in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad murder case seeking transfer of trial proceedings from the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka.
The HC bench rejected the petition, considering that it was not presented before the bench.
An HC bench comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice Shahed Nuruddin passed the order on Monday.
This order cleared the way of recording deposition of prosecution witnesses in the case.
Earlier on December 3, the 22 accused, now in jail, submitted the petition to the HC through their lawyer, expressing 'no-confidence' in the judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman.
The no-confidence plea said the deposition of witnesses were recorded by the Tribunal for a second time illegally which had triggered doubts among the accused in the case over receiving proper justice.
However, the Tribunal prosecutor Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan said the accused had filed the no-confidence plea against Tribunal Judge Abu Jafar Md Kamruzzaman to prolong the trial process.
On September 15, charges were framed against 25 accused in the murder case.
Abrar, 21, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering, was beaten to death reportedly by then Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university.
He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7 after he was allegedly taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.
His murder sparked a nationwide outcry.
On November 13, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) submitted a charge-sheet before the court. On November 18 last, the court accepted the charge-sheet against 25 accused.
On January 13, the case was shifted to the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court from Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
On March 12 this year, Abrar murder case was shifted to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 after his parents met the law minister and urged to shift the case to a Speedy Trial Tribunal.
nh/teb
