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DHAKA, March 19, 2025 (BSS) - The state has filed a leave to appeal petition against the High Court judgment that acquitted all the people convicted by the lower court in murder and explosives substances act cases filed over the grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.

The case came on today's cause list of a four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed as 24th matter.

The High Court on December 1, 2024, pronounced the verdict, scrapping lower court judgment in the two cases. The court came up with the verdict after holding a hearing on the death references, criminal and jail appeals filed in the two cases.

"Death Reference is rejected, all appeals are allowed, all rules are absolute" said the identical short judgments pronounced by the High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain.

"The court observed that the lower court trial was illegal as it was not held in line with the law. No eyewitnesses were examined in the cases, rather all the witnesses, who were examined, heard about the incident," defence counsel Advocate Shishir Manir told newsmen on that day.

Advocate Manir further said the court also observed that the lower court concerned delivered the judgement on the basis of a confessional statement of Mufti Abdul Hannan, but his confessional statement has no evidential value as it was taken by force.

At least 24 people were killed and many others were injured in August 21 attack, 2004.