Two more cases have been filed against Pradeep, former OC of Teknaf police station and prime suspect in the murder of Retd Major Sinha. The two new cases were filed in a Cox’s Bazar court, bringing the case count to ten, so far.
The cases were registered with Senior Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Helal Uddin on Monday afternoon by Laila Begum and Halima Khatun, both residents of Teknaf.
Noor Hossain Nahid Md Mostafa, the lawyer for the plaintiffs said, the court has recorded their pleas and ordered the Teknaf police station OC to submit the required documents regarding the cases before October 4, 2020.
Laila Begum, wife of a certain Noor Mohammad, and Halima Khatun, mother of one Md Aziz, claimed that at least 31 people, including former OC Pradeep, were involved in the murder of their respective relatives, Noor and Aziz. They said the killings were framed as gunfights.
In her case statement, Laila Begum said that on March 19, 2019, a police team led by then OC Pradeep, picked up her husband Noor from his office and demanded Tk50,00,000 from her family.
Pradeep reportedly threatened to kill Noor, framing it as a gunfight, if the money was not provided soon, Laila said.
Laila reportedly paid Tk5,00,000 to the OC and got her husband out on bail from the police station on March 21 last year.
However, according to Laila, right after he was released on bail, a few policemen came and picked up her husband Noor, again. By Laila’s account, they killed him in a deserted place in Marine Drive’s Rajar Chhara area.
In the second case statement, Halima Khatun, mother of Md Aziz alleged that a police team led by the now suspended OC, picked up her son and two more people, Noor Hasan and Abul Khair, on October 18, 2019.
Pradeep reportedly asked for a bribe of Tk20,00,000 from each family but Halima could only provide Tk50,000.
The next day, Halima found out that her son was killed in a gunfight in Maheshkhali Para of Teknaf.
At least ten cases have been filed against the suspended police officer with different police stations of Cox’s Bazar till filing of this report on Monday.
