Ex-JaPa MP Ovi acquitted of model Tinni murder case

A court in Dhaka has acquitted Jatiya Party (JaPa-Manju) leader and former lawmaker Golam Faruq Ovi, in his absentia, in a case filed over the murder of model Syeda Tania Mahbub Tinni on November 10, 2002.

Judge Mosammat Shahinur Akhter of Dhaka 2nd Additional District and Sessions Judge’s Court, pronounced the judgment on Tuesday (January 14) afternoon.

In the judgment, the judge said the prosecution has completely failed to prove the charges brought against the accused of the case.

So, the accused Golam Faruq Ovi has been acquitted from the charges, he said.

Expressing resentment, the prosecution lawyer Syed Md Abu Zafar Rizvi said decision on filing an appeal would be taken after reading the full judgement.

During the trial, Tinni’s father Syed Mahbub Karim on February 5, 2022 gave his statements before the court and sought exemplary punishment for the accused in the case.

None of the victim’s family was present at the court during the Tuesday’s judgment.

On November 10, 2002, police recovered Tinni’s body from under China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge over the Buriganga river and a case was filed with Keraniganj Police Station on the same day.

Following the incident, Shafiuddin, a sub-inspector of the police station, on different dates arrested Tinni’s ex-husband Shafakat Ahmed Pial, Swapan Gazi, Gazi Sharifullah Tapan, Shafiqul Islam Jewel and Somnath Saha Bappy.

But the Criminal Investigation Department on November 8 of 2008, pressed charge against Ovi and dropped the names of Pial and others as the charges brought against them were not proven.

According to the charge sheet, Ovi murdered Tinni when she became persistent in her demand to give her social recognition through marriage.

Soon after the murder, Ovi moved to Canada after securing bail and challenging a 1992 trial court verdict, which sentenced him to 17 years in jail in an arms case, according to the charge sheet filed with the court.

Following the charge sheet, the court issued an arrest warrant against Ovi, asking him to appear before it on different dates, but Ovi did not comply with the court order.