The police today submitted the charge-sheet accusing 17 individuals in the murder case of Inqilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi, after 25 days of the gruesome killing.
Among those named in the charge-sheet are former councillor of Ward No. 6 of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Pallabi Thana Jubo League President, Taijul Islam Chowdhury Bappi and shooter and also a former leader of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, Faisal Karim Masud.
Mentioning that the killing was carried out as part of a planned attack, he said that Bappi masterminded the murder.
Additional Police Commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) Shafiqul Islam made the disclosure at a press briefing at Media Centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Mintoo Road here this afternoon.
Of the charge-sheeted accused, five including ex-councillor Babbi, Faisal Karim Masud, his sister Jasmine, accomplice Aamgir Sheikh, Philip, who helps people to cross Bangladesh border went into hiding and 12 others had been captured. Efforts are underway to arrest the fugitives.
The arrested suspects include the alleged mastermind Faisal Karim Masud’s father Humayun Kabir, mother Hasi Begum, wife Shaheda Parvin Samia, brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu, and alleged girlfriend Maria Akter Lima. Other arrestees are Mukti Mahmud, Md Kabir, Nuruzzaman Nomani alias Ujjal, Sibion Dio, Sanjoy Chisim, Aminul Islam Raju, and Abdul Hannan.
Police officials claim that Hadi was targeted due to his outspoken stance against the fallen Awami League government.
“Hadi was vocal against the fallen government. He was killed due to political vendetta,” Islam said.
The leaders and activists of the banned Chhatra League had become angry with Hadi’s anti-Awami League and Chhatra League role in different social platforms and talk-show and killed him out of anger, he said, adding that Faisal Karim Masud was a leader of the Chhatra league .
The charge-sheet marks a significant development in the case, as investigators say that they have gathered sufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution.
Six of the detainees in the Hadi murder case gave confessional statements before the court under Section 164 of the CrPC.
Islam said they will give supplementary charge-sheet if the names of anyone come into surface in further investigation, Islam added.
During the investigation, police recovered two foreign pistols, 52 rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, fake number plates, and cheques amounting to Tk 218 crore linked to 53 bank accounts.
Earlier on December 12 last, Hadi was shot around 2:20pm on Bijoynagar Box Culvert Road under Paltan Police Station while heading toward Suhrawardy Udyan after conducting a campaign from Motijheel Mosque.
According to police, Faisal Karim Masud and an accomplice opened fire on Hadi while he was riding in a motorcycle.
Critically injured Hadi was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Evercare Hospital.
As his condition deteriorated, he was flown to Singapore on December 15 and died on December 18 while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital.
Following the attack, Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inquilab Mancha, filed a case with Paltan Police Station on December 14 on charges of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, and use of dangerous weapons.
After Hadi’s death, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Siddique Azad on December 20 ordered the inclusion of Section 302 (murder) of the Penal Code in the case.
