Golam Faruq Avi, a former Member of Parliament and leader of the Jatiya Party, has been acquitted in the high-profile Tinni murder case, which dates back to November 10, 2002. The verdict was delivered by Judge Mosammat Shaheenur Akter of Dhaka’s Second Additional District and Sessions Court on Tuesday afternoon.
In her brief judgment, the judge noted that although 41 witnesses were listed for the case, only 26 provided testimonies. The prosecution failed to establish the charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubt, leading to Avi’s acquittal. Despite being on the run, Golam Faruq Avi was represented by state-appointed lawyer Shah Ilias Ratan, who expressed satisfaction with the verdict.
On the other hand, state prosecutor Syed Md. Abu Zafar Rizvi expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, stating that they would consider filing an appeal after reviewing the full judgment.
Background of the Case
The case began when Tinni’s body was discovered on November 10, 2002, near pillar number 11 of the China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge (Buriganga Bridge-1) in Keraniganj. The following day, an unidentified murder case was filed by ASI Md. Safi Uddin of Keraniganj police station. On November 24, 2002, the investigation was handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
According to the charges, Avi allegedly pressured Tinni to divorce her husband, promising to marry her. Despite her divorce, Avi reportedly refused to marry her, leading to prolonged tensions between them. The prosecution alleged that Avi murdered Tinni to silence her after she threatened to expose their relationship to the media.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Several officers, including CID Inspector Sujaul Haque, ASP Golam Mostafa, ASP Arman Ali, ASP Kamal Krishna Bhardwaj, and ASP Mozammel Haque, handled the investigation at different stages. Ultimately, ASP Mozammel Haque filed the charge sheet in November 2008, naming Golam Faruq Avi as the sole accused.
In 2010, the court framed charges against Avi, who remained a fugitive throughout the proceedings. Reports indicate that he has been residing in Canada since fleeing the country.
Courtroom and Family Reaction
Neither Tinni’s family members nor their representatives were present in court when the verdict was announced. The absence of key witnesses and the accused’s prolonged fugitive status played a significant role in the court’s decision to acquit Avi.
