A Dhaka court on Monday started recording depositions of witnesses against five accused, including Shafat Ahmed, in a case filed for raping two private university girls in a Banani hotel.

Judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2 M Safiul Azam recorded the testimony of the complainant of the case in camera in the presence of the counsels of both plaintiff and the defence.

The tribunal also fixed October 31 for the next hearing in the case, said plaintiff’s lawyer Fahmida Akhter Rinki.

After the deposition of the complainant, Shafat’s lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal started cross-examining the witness which could not be completed today, she said.

The five accused were produced before the court from jail during the proceedings.

The two female private university students were raped at The Raintree Dhaka hotel at Banani in the city on March 28 last. One of the victims filed a case with Banani Police Station on May 6 over the incident.

On June 8, police pressed charges against all the accused in the case.

Of the accused, Shafat Ahmed, 26, and Nayem Ashraf, 30, were sued for raping the two female university students while Sadman Shafiq, 24, Shafat’s driver Billal, 26, and his unnamed bodyguard for abetting in the crime.

The prime accused, Shafat Ahmed, is the son of Dildar Ahmed who owns top jewellery brand ‘Apan Jewellers’ along with three of his brothers.