A Dhaka court on Wednesday jailed three policemen for life and handed seven-year jail sentences to two others in first ever verdict under Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Emrul Kayesh handed the verdict over the killing of Urdu-speaking youth Ishtiaque Ahmed Jonny in police custody in 2014.
The court handed life-sentences to Pallabi police station sub-inspector Zahidur Rahman Khan, assistant sub-inspectors Kamruzzaman Mintu and Rashedul Islam, and seven-year jail sentences to their informants Sumon and Russell.
Three policemen were also fined Tk one lakh each or an additional six months in jail if unpaid.
Dhaka Metropolitan additional public prosecutor Tapash Kumar Paul said court also ordered the three policemen to pay Tk two lakh each to victim family as compensation.
Two police informants were fined Tk 20,000 each, he said.
Of the accused, the court officials said, suspended SI Zahidul and informant Suman were in jail, and assistant sub-inspector Rashidul was out in bail while Kamruzzaman and Rassell were still in hiding at the time when their bail prayers were submitted.
According to the case statement, an altercation took place between police informants Sumon and Jony over some girls being harassed at a wedding ceremony at Irani Camp under Pallabi Police Station in the early hours of February 9, 2014.
At one stage, Jony slapped Sumon. Half an hour later, a team of 25 to 26 police personnel, including sub-inspector Zahid, swooped on the people attending the ceremony and vandalised the stage, and picked up Jonny, Rocky and few more people from the spot and took them to the police station.
The detained youths were tortured in police custody and Zahid jumped on Jony’s chest and spat in his mouth when he sought water, according to the statement.
Later, a seriously ill Jonny was taken to the National Heart Foundation where doctors declared him dead.
The case was one of the 18 reported cases filed under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013 so far since 2013 as the police in several occasions demanded to prime minister Sheikh Hasina that the act should be repeal.
After long trial and recording of testimonies and cross-examination of witnesses, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Emrul Kayesh, on August 24, set September 9 for the verdict.
On August 7, 2014, the court ordered judicial inquiry into the custodial death of Jony, after his brother Imtiaz Hossain Rocky filed a murder case.
Following a judicial inquiry, Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Maruf Hossain submitted a report to the court against the five accused in the case on February 17, 2015.
On November 18, 2015, SI Zahidur, ASIs Kamruzzaman and Rashidul surrendered before the court.
On April 17, 2016, the court framed charges against the five. The court framed charges against the five accused on April 17, 2016.
