Assaulting domestic help: Paceman Shahadat, his wife acquitted
Court Correspondent
Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Sunday acquitted former national team cricketer Shahadat Hossain and his wife Jesmin Jahan Nitto from a case filed against them over torturing an 11-year-old girl, Mahfuza Akhter Happy, he employed as their domestic help.
Dhaka’s Women & Children Repression Tribunal’s judge Tanjila Islam announced the verdict in the presence of Shahadat and his wife.
Earlier, on 31 October, after concluding a hearing session the judge fixed 6 November for verdict.
On 27 October, the deposition session finished by the recording the statement of case’s investigating official former inspector of Mirpur Model police Shafiqur Rahman.
On 24 August, denying the couple’s involvement with the incident, Mahfuza Akhter Happy and her uncle, Shohag, placed their testimony before the court.
On 29 December 2015, the case’s investigating official, and Mirpur Model Police Inspector Shafiqur Rahman filed a chargesheet against the couple with Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Megistrate’s Court (CMM).
On 5 October 2015, paceman Shahadat submitted appeal petition after surrendering before the CMM court. However, the court ordered to send Shahadat to jail.
Earlier, on 4 October 2015, Mirpur model police arrested Shahadat wife, Nitto, in Pabna Lane at Malibagh in connection with the case. Later, a court sent her to jail rejecting her bail petition.
On 6 September 2015, Mahfuza Akhter Happy was found lying injured on a road in Sangbadik Colony area of Pallabi in Dhaka.
Happy claimed that Shahadat Hossain and his wife tortured her. The couple went into hiding after the incident.
On 7 September 2015, a journalist named Mojammel Hossain filed a case against Shahadat and her wife with Mirpur Model Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
Shahadat Hossain, a pace bowler played 38 Tests and 51 one-day internationals before he was suspended from all forms of the game on 13 September 2015.
On 29 April 2016, Shahadat also apologised and appealed to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to be allowed to return to the game.