Sagar-Runi murder case report delayed for 132nd time

The submission of the investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi has been postponed for the 132nd time, with a court setting December 9 as the next date.

On Thursday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman set the new deadline after the investigating officer failed to submit the report as scheduled.

Rafiqul Islam Russell, a sub-inspector of the prosecution department, confirmed the development.

Meanwhile, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) is continuing its efforts to uncover key information in the case under a High Court directive.

Sagar, news editor of Maasranga Television, and his wife Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered at their rented apartment in West Rajabazar in the capital on the night of February 11, 2012. Their bodies were recovered the following morning.

Following the murders, Runi's brother, Nowsher Alam Roman, filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

The case was initially investigated by local police and later by the Detective Branch (DB), but neither could solve the murders. On April 18, 2012, the investigation was transferred to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) following a High Court directive.

On September 30 last year, the High Court ordered the formation of a high-powered task force comprising experienced investigators from different law enforcement agencies and directed that RAB be removed from the investigation.

Subsequently, a four-member task force was formed with the PBI chief as its convener.

Eight people, including Runi's friend Tanvir Rahman, are accused in the case. The other accused are house security guard Enam Ahmed, also known as Humayun Kabir; Rafiqul Islam; Bakul Mia; Mintu, also known as Bargira Mintu or Masum Mintu; Kamrul Hasan Arun; Palash Rudra Pal; and Abu Sayeed.

The accused have been taken into remand multiple times, but none has reportedly given a confessional statement.