Staff Reporter:
Three accused, including the wife, girlfriend and brother-in-law of prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud, have confessed before a court to their involvement in the killing of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
On Wednesday, two separate Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Courts recorded the confessional statements of Faisal’s wife Saheda Parvin Samia, his girlfriend Maria Akter Lima, and his brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu. Following the hearings, they were sent to jail.
In the same case, the court granted a five-day remand to Aminul Islam Raju, who is accused of helping Faisal go into hiding near the border after the murder.
The order was passed by the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Muhammad Junaid after the hearing. DC (Prosecution) of DMP Mia Mohammad Ashis Bin Hasan confirmed the development.
According to court sources, all the accused were produced before the court, where Samia, Lima and Shipu expressed their willingness to give confessional statements. Subsequently, the investigating officer, DB Police Inspector Faisal Ahmed, applied to record their statements, which the court allowed.
The prosecution also sought a 10-day remand for Aminul Islam Raju, stating in the remand application that on the day of the incident at around 3:30pm, Raju contacted an individual named Philip through a close relative and assisted accused Faisal in going into hiding in a border area. The application further claimed that Raju was directly involved in arranging funds for the accused and those who helped them evade arrest.
State prosecutor Kaiyum Hossain Nayan argued in favour of the remand. After the hearing, the court granted Raju a five-day remand. No defence counsel was present for Raju during the hearing.
The three accused — Samia, Lima and Shipu — were first placed on five days’ remand on 15 December following their arrest. On 21 December, they were granted a further five days’ remand before eventually giving confessional statements.
The case was initially filed as an attempted murder on 14 December by Inqilab Moncho member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber. Later, Section 302 of the Penal Code was added to the case after Hadi died from gunshot injuries. So far, 10 people have been shown arrested in connection with the case.
Those arrested include Faisal’s parents, Mohammad Humayun Kabir and Hasi Begum; his wife Saheda Parvin Samia; girlfriend Maria Akter Lima; brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu; rent-a-car businessman Mohammad Nuruzzaman Nomani alias Ujjal; Faisal’s associate Mohammad Kabir; alleged facilitators of escape to India, Sibyun Dew and Sanjoy Chisim; and Aminul Islam Raju, who allegedly helped Faisal to go into hiding.
Among them, Humayun Kabir and Hasi Begum have already given confessional statements. After completing the remand, Nuruzzaman Nomani was sent to jail.
Meanwhile, the court has imposed a travel ban on prime accused Faisal Karim Masud, who remains at large.
