Key accused Mohiuddin, Azimuddin, freed earlier on bail, Salehi, and three killers who confessed to the killing--Jahangir, Nazmul and Salam--were present in the dock during charge hearing on Monday. Salehi, Jahangir, Nazmul and Salam were sent to jail following the hearing.

Judge Jahangir Alam Mollah of Special Session's Court rejected prayers of Mohiuddin and Salehi for acquitting them from the charges. The judge set July 3 for the trial to begin. The court charged Mohiuddin and Salehi with being directly involved in the murder as well being the masterminds.

Sub-inspector (SI) Faruk Hossain of Motihar Police Station, SI Ahsanul Kabir and SI Golam Mahfiz of Detective Branch (DB) of police jointly submitted the charge sheet against six people on March 18. Taher's son Sanjid Alvi Ahmed had filed the murder case.

Jahangir, Nazmul and Salam provided judicial confessions of the murder. Five among 48 witnesses also gave judicial statements.

Mohiuddin allegedly masterminded the murder apprehending damage to his career by Taher who detected "plagiarism and piracy" in 10 out of the 11 research papers of Mohiuddin that he submitted along with his promotion prayer.

Mohiuddin allegedly hired Salehi for the murder promising him good results in Master's exam, MPhil and PhD and helping him for being appointed as a teacher in RU.

Mohiuddin also won over Salam, Nazmul and Jahangir with computers and prmisses of jobs at the university.

Prof Taher, a teacher of Geology and Mining Department of the university, was killed on February 1, 2005. His body was recovered from a septic tank in the backyard of his campus residence on February 3.