The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has upheld the High Court's decision to grant bail to former Superintendent of Police Babul Akter, in the case over the murder of his wife, Mahmuda Khanam Mitu.

Chamber Judge Justice Md Rezaul Haque passed a “no order” decision on the petition to stay the High Court’s bail order. This ruling removes any obstacle to Babul Akter’s release, said his lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir.

Mitu murder: Ex- SP Babul Akter gets bail, no bar to walk out from jail

Earlier, on October 30, the High Court granted bail to Babul Akter. Following this, Mitu’s father, Mosharraf Hossain, filed a petition in the Appellate Division Chamber Court to stay the bail.

Shishir represented Babul, while Additional Attorney General Barrister Aneek R Haque represented the state. Advocate Mahbubur Rahman appeared for Mitu’s father.

“The chamber court has given a ‘no order’. With the bail being upheld, we hope Babul Akter will be released today. His bail bond has already been submitted,” said Shishir.

Mitu was murdered on June 5, 2016 on her way to drop off her son at school in the GEC area of Chattogram city. The following day, Babul Akter filed a murder case as the complainant at the Panchlaish Police Station.

Mitu murder: Babul Akter’s bail hearing on August 18

Later, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) found evidence linking Babul to the crime. This led Mitu’s father to file another case, naming Babul as an accused. On May 12, 2021, PBI arrested Babul. On September 13, 2022, PBI submitted a charge sheet to the court, naming Babul and six others as accused. The court accepted the charge sheet on October 10.

After failing to secure bail in the lower court, Babul applied to the High Court earlier this year.

On November 27, the High Court granted him interim bail through a rule. Mosharraf Hossain, the plaintiff and Mitu’s father, later filed a petition to stay this order, which the Supreme Court reviewed on Wednesday and upheld the High Court’s bail decision.