Ex-Rab officials among seven indicted for looting Tk 2cr

A Chittagong court yesterday framed charges against seven people, including former commanding officer of Rab-7 Lt Col (sacked) Zulfiqar Ali Majumder, on charge of looting Tk 2.07 crore from a shrine in Anwara upazila in 2011.

The court of Fifth District and Sessions Judge Nure Alam also set October 23 for recording depositions of witnesses in the case, said Public Prosecutor AKM Sirajul Islam.

Six others accused in the case are: then Rab-7 member Flight Lt (forced leave) Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan, then deputy assistant director (sacked) Subedar Abul Bashar, Sub-Inspector (sacked) Tarun Kumar Basu and three Rab informants -- Didarul Alam, Anwar Hossain and Manab Barua -- said the public prosecutor.

“All the accused in the case are now on bail, and they appeared before the court during the charge framing,” plaintiff's lawyer Sahabuddin Ahmed told The Daily Star.

The accused sought acquittal of the case, but the court rejected their plea and set October 23 for recording depositions of the witnesses, he said.

On November 4, 2011, a team of Rapid Action Battalion-7 raided Talsara Darbar Sharif in Anwara. The Rab members confined its peer Ahammed Safa Shah to a room and looted Tk 2.07 crore after breaking open three cupboards, according to the case statement.

Idris Ali, driver of the shrine, filed a case with Anwara Police Station on March 13, 2012, in this connection.

On July 26 that year, investigation officer of the case Abdus Samad,  also the then inspector (investigation) of the police station, submitted a charge sheet against the seven.