Actor Don’s bail plea rejected again

A Dhaka court on Thursday rejected a bail petition filed by actor Ashraful Haque Don in a case over the murder of film actor Salman Shah.

Judge Tawhida Akter of Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court-6 rejected the bail petition, said defence lawyer Md Mofizul Islam.

He said the bail petition stated that an analysis of the inquest reports, post-mortem reports, viscera report and chemical analysis report on Salman Shah’s death showed that he had died by suicide.

He also submitted that the accused was physically ill and the sole earning member of his family. The petition stated that he would not flee if granted bail and would provide suitable sureties.

However, the prosecution opposed the bail plea. After hearing both sides, the court rejected the petition.

Earlier, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court had also rejected Don’s bail petition in the case.

Don was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on 9 August and sent to jail on the same day. Later, on 27 August, the court granted five days’ remand for Don.

On 6 September 1996, film actor Salman Shah’s body was recovered from his residence in Eskaton, Dhaka. His father, Komoruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, initially filed an unnatural death (UD) case.

Later, on 20 October last year, Dhaka’s Sixth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court ordered the filing of a fresh case following a long legal battle by Salman’s family.

The court also ordered Ramna Model Police Station to submit an investigation report. On the same night, Salman Shah’s maternal uncle, Md Alamgir Kumkum, filed the case with Ramna Model Police Station.

Along with Salman Shah’s wife, businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Latifa Haque Luci, actor Don, David, Javed, Faruk, Rubi, Abdus Sattar, Saju and Rezvi Ahmed were named as accused in the case. Among them, Don was recently arrested and placed on remand in connection with the case.