The High Court today ordered the authorities concerned to conduct a judicial inquiry into the allegations of police torture on college student Imran Hossainand taking "unethical benefits" from his father for releasing him from their custody.
Imran Hossain, a second-year student of Kazi Nazrul Islam Degree College under Jashore Sadar upazila, was reportedly tortured by police on June 3 without any specific allegations. The torture left Imran with damaged kidneys, his family claims.
Today, the HC said the probe into the allegations of torture will be carried out by a judicial officer not below the rank of a district and sessions judge.
The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan also asked the authorities concerned to submit the inquiry report to this court in 60 days.
It came up with the directive during holding a virtual hearing on a writ petition filed seeking necessary order.
During today's hearing, writ petitioner Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallob told the HC bench that the probe reports submitted by the civil surgeon and superintendent of police of Jashore were not fully correct as they, in the reports, said that Imran was "under the influence of drugs".
He also said Imran Hossain was brutally tortured by the police although he is innocent.
Today, Jashore Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Abu Shahin submitted relevant documents of the treatment of Imran, saying that he is not doing well, Humayun Kabir Pallob told The Daily Star.
Nothing was found in the dope test report of Imran, he added.
Earlier on June 28, Superintendent of Jashore Police Muhammad Ashraf Hossain submitted a probe report to the High Court, saying that three police personnel of Kotwali Police Station had taken "unethical benefits" from Imran's father for releasing him.
According to news reports, on June 3, Imran -- a resident of Shahbazpur in Jashore Sadar upazila -- was returning home on a battery-run rickshaw with a friend from Salua Bazar in the evening. Policemen of Sajiali camp in front of Jashore University of Science and Technology stopped them and started searching their bags.
Intimidated, as Imran ran in fear, police chased him and beat him up, leaving him unconsciousness on the street. He later regained consciousness after receiving treatment at a local pharmacy.
At that time, the police said that he was arrested with cannabis in his pocket. Later, police released Imran in exchange of a bribe of Tk 6,000 and threatened to place him on remand if he told anyone about the incident, Imran's father Nesar Ali alleged.
