A Dhaka court on Wednesday exonerated national cricket team pace bowler Rubel Hossain in a sexual abuse case filed against him by actress-cum-model Naznin Akhtar Happy.

Fifth Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression judge Tanjina Ismail passed the order and turned down Happy’s no confidence petition against an investigation report submitted by a police body which said Rubel was innocent and he should be relieved from the charges pressed against him.

Happy on May 17 filed the no confidence petition after Tejgaon Victim Support Centre inspector Halima Khatun submitted a probe report to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court on 6 April.

The report mentioned that the allegation of rape against Rubel was not proved by the forensic test.

In the no confidence petition, Happy said the police prepared the report without interrogating several witnesses, including her brother, mother and sister. She requested the tribunal to order further investigation into the matter.

Happy on 13 December 2014 filed the case against Rubel Hossain under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000. He was granted an anticipatory bail by the High Court for four weeks as he surrendered to it seeking bail.

On 6 January, the HC summarily dismissed a writ petition filed by actress Happy seeking the removal of the pacer from the Bangladesh National Cricket team squad.

On January 8, a metropolitan magistrate court sent the national cricketer to jail on his surrender, rejecting his bail plea in the sexual abuse case.

Acting Metropolitan Session’s Judge KM Imrul Kayes on 11 January granted Rubel bail until submission of the police report on the case responding to a fresh bail plea filed by the detained accused.

According to the first information report, Rubel had been involved in physical relationship with the actress for eight months. It also said Rubel had promised to marry her and thus developed the physical relationship.

The case was transferred to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal on April 13.