Cop the mastermind

Police arrested an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Shyampur Police Station on Saturday night, in a new twist in the murder case of a businessman.

ASI Nur Alam, who had been under police surveillance for several weeks, “masterminded” the killing of Shyampur-based businessman Yunus Hawladar in June, police said.

He was arrested based on the confessional statement of a suspect in the case, said Shah Jamal, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj Police Station.

A Dhaka court sent the ASI to jail yesterday, after he was produced before it with a five-day remand petition. The court will hear the petition on a later date.

Police earlier arrested Wahid Sumon, 27, a tenant at the victim's house, and Saber alias Shamim, 43, of Jatrabari area in connection with the murder.

In his confessional statement, Sumon claimed Nur Alam “masterminded” the killing.

On the night of June 24, Sumon, Saber and another person took Yunus to Keraniganj in the pretext of discussing a human trafficking case against him (Yunus). They also assured him that his name would be dropped from the case, according to the statement.

However, there they killed Yunus and looted Tk 300,000 from his possession. They later handed over the money to Nur Alam, police sources said citing the confessional statement. 

Nur Alam was closed soon after his name came up in the confessional statement about one and a half months ago, said Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shyampur Police Station.

Police recovered Yunus's body from Hasnabad of South Keraniganj on June 25 with several stab marks on his body, which they took to Sir Salimullah Medical College Morgue for an autopsy.

Before retiring about 10 years ago, Yunus had a business of farming equipment in Old Dhaka.

Atikuzzaman, son of Yunus, said three people -- a couple and another woman -- rented a flat of their home at Paschim Dholaipar in January.

Police arrested all the three in mid-January in connection with alleged sex trade, he said.

Police filed a human trafficking case against them and also made Yunus an accused in the case. 

A week later, SI Nazrul Islam of Shyampur police who was investigating the human trafficking case, went to their house to arrest Yunus, said Atikuzzaman.

The SI took Tk 5,000 from him and demanded another Tk 1.2 lakh to drop the charges against his father, he alleged.

The family sought two days from the SI to decide on the matter. Later they decided to deal with the matter legally and managed to get bail for his father within two days.

In the meantime, police submitted the charge sheet in the trafficking case in May, naming Yunus as an accused.

Several days later, Sumon approached Yunus and demanded Tk 5 lakh, saying he had connections in the police who could drop his [Yunus's] name from the trafficking case, Atikuzzaman said.

Yunus shared the matter with his family, but they decided not to give any money.

On June 24, Yunus left home around 10:30pm with some papers, saying he would meet some people to discuss the case he was facing.

His phone was found switched off since midnight. The family filed a general diary about his going missing the next day.

Eventually they identified the body at the morgue.

Contacted last night, SI Nazrul denied taking or demanding any money from the Yunus family.