A Dhaka court today placed an Awami League leader and four others on a five-day remand in a case filed over killing two people, including former AL general secretary of Motijheel Awami League Jahidul Islam Tipu, in Dhaka's Shahjahanpur on March 24.
The accused are Omar Farooq (52), AL general secretary of Dhaka South City Corporation Ward-10 unit; Abu Saleh Sikder, also known as Shooter Saleh (38); Nasir Uddin alias Killer Nasir (38); Morshedul Alam alias Kayla Palash (51); and Abul Hossain Mohammad Arfan Ullah Imam Khan alias Damal (45).
Metropolitan Magistrate Syed Mostafa Reza Nur passed the order after Mohammad Yasin Sikder, an inspector of Detective Branch of Police and also the investigation officer of the case, produced them before it with a 10-day remand prayer.
Before the remand order, Damal, held in an arms case earlier, was shown arrested in the case following an application submitted by the IO.
In the remand prayer, the IO said the arrestees were directly involved with the killings. Moreover, a special drive may be needed to arrest others and to recover arms across the country, he said.
So, they need to be remanded to find out vital clues about the killings and to know whereabouts of others responsible for committing such offences, the IO added.
Defence for Omar told the court that his client was picked up by Rab from Tipu's janaza and was not shown arrested in any case.
Moreover, if he is placed on remand, he may be killed in "cross-fire", defence lawyer Aminul Ahsan Masum said. So, he appealed to the court to permit DB for interrogation at the jail gate.
During the hearing on the remand prayer, defence also said Saleh had been in a hospital since January 28. How could he be involved with the killing, defence asked.
Defence for the three others told the court that their clients were picked up soon after the killings.
On the other hand, defence submitted separate petitions seeking bail along with cancellation of the remand prayer on grounds that the accused had no links with the killings.
Upon hearing both the sides, the magistrate turned down the defence pleas and placed them on remand for quizzing about the incident.
The magistrate also directed the IO to complete interrogation within six days following the higher court directives.
Earlier, Masum Mohammad Akash, the prime suspect was arrested and on March 28 he was placed on a seven-day remand in the case.
