Investigators are going to interrogate journalist Farzana Rupa, now in jail, in connection with the case filed over the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate MA Azharul Islam on March 4 allowed the PBI to interrogate Rupa, former principal correspondent at Ekattor Television, after the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) filed an application before the court in this regard, a court staffer told The Daily Star.

"At the time of the killings, Farzana Rupa was working as a reporter for ATN Bangla television. She had a close family connection and frequent interactions with Meherun Runi. Rupa also produced some reports on television about the murder. If she is interrogated, there is a possibility of obtaining important information to solve the mystery of the murder... For the sake of a fair and impartial investigation, it is necessary to interrogate her," said the PBI application.

On March 2, the court allowed the PBI to interrogate accused Palash Rudra Paul, who was a security guard of the house where the couple was murdered.

According to the PBI sources, the investigators have interrogated the sacked former army officer Ziaul Ahsan, former Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Mashiur Rahman, former justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, former Navy officer Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail, and Humayun Kabir, an accused in the double murder case.

Rupa, Ziaul, Mashiur, Manik and Sohail are now in jail in connection with various cases filed over killings during the July uprising.

On March 2, the court set April 15 as the date for submitting the probe report as Investigation Officer Md Azizul Haque, an additional superintendent of police at the PIB, failed to submit the report that day, said a police staffer working at the court.

Sagar Sarowar was working as a news editor at Maasranga TV and his wife Meherun Runi was a senior reporter at ATN Bangla when they were killed in the early hours of February 11, 2012, at their rented flat in the capital's West Rajabazar.

Their only child Mahir Sarowar Megh, only five at the time, was in the apartment.

After the killings, eight suspects — Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Palash Rudra Paul, Anamul Haque alias Humayun Kabir and Tanveer Rahman Khan — were arrested. Tanveer and Palash are now out of jail, while the others are behind bars.

After the case was filed, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station was tasked with the investigation, which was then handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police three days later on February 16, 2012. The DB conducted an investigation till April 18 that year.

The case was transferred to Rab in April 2012. The force conducted the probe till November 3 last year.

On November 4 last year, PBI took over the investigation following a High Court order. On October 23 last year, a four-member task force was formed to investigate the case where the PBI chief was made the convener.

The task force has been asked to submit its report to the High Court within six months after completing the investigation.