SM Mahmud Setu, a death-row convict in Buet student Abrar Fahad murder case, filed a petition with the High Court seeking acquittal on Wednesday.

Advocate Jamiul Haque Foysal and Barrister Sharmin Akter Sheuli filed the petition with the HC bench concerned on behalf of Setu.

On December 8 last year, a Dhaka court sentenced 20 young men to death and five others to life imprisonment for killing Abrar, 21-year-old student of Buet, in October 2019.

Read: Abrar murder case: Death reference reaches High Court

The death references of Abrar Fahad murder case reached the High Court for examining the lower court verdict on January 6.

According to the prosecution, Abrar, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Buet, was beaten to death by Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall in 2019.

He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7, after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.

Those sentenced to death are Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Muntasir Al Jemi, Tabakhkharul Islam Tanvir, Mohammad Sadat, Mizanur Rahman, Samsul Arefin Rafat, Md Shamem Billah, Mazedur Rahman, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Moniruzzaman Monir, Mehedi Hasan Robin, Muzahidur Rahman Muzahid, Anik Sarker, Meftahul Islam Zion, Ifti Mosharraf Shakal, Mahmud Setu, Morshed Amartya Islam, Morshedzamman alias Jisan, Ahtesamul Rabbi Tanim and Muztaba Rafid.

Read: 20 to die for killing Buet student Abrar

On October 7, 2019, an FIR for murder was lodged at the Chawkbazar police station against 19 people, following a complaint from Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah.

On November 13, 2019, Detective Branch (DB) inspector and investigation officer of the case Wahiduzzaman submitted a chargesheet against the 25 accused.

On September 15, 2020, the court framed charges against the accused.