Home belongs to martyred intellectual’s family

Martyred intellectual’s family members, who were evicted from their home “following a mid-ranking police official’s move” in the capital’s Nawabpur, are the actual owners of the property, the Anti-Corruption Commission has found in its enquiry.  

ACC Deputy Director Md Salauddin yesterday filed a case against Sheikh Md Jabed Uddin and Miraj Md Jakir Uddin for forging documents of the house. 

On August 26, the home ministry suspended then deputy commissioner (Wari division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammad Ibrahim on charges of facilitating the land grabbers.

ACC FINDINGS

According to the case statement, the house-221 in Nawabpur is a vested property. The Dhaka DC office in 1975 leased out the property to Masuda Khanam, mother of martyred intellectual and former deputy commissioner of Cumilla Shamsul Haq Khan. 

The property was under the possession of Azharul Haque Khan, a member of the family, who had regularly been paying the lease money.

When the land was in Azharul’s possession, Jabed made a fake deed of the land at Joydevpur Sub-registrar’s office. 

Jabed claimed that one Nani Gopal Bosak was the land owner, and after his death, his son Tapan Kumar Bosak became the owner in 1967.

Scrutinising the documents, the anti-graft body found the accused had manipulated the land records. “A discrepancy has been found in the writing and colour of ink used on pages 251 and 252 of the records,” reads the FIR.

Later, Jabed had a case filed by Tapan for the return of the vested property with a court where they had submitted fake documents and a deed of the property. 

“Analysing evidence, it is also known that Jabed is the kingpin of a fraud syndicate that grabs the government land,” reads the FIR.

On September 28 last year, some people, led by Jabed, grabbed the house, looted valuables and evicted the family. 

A day after the incident when the victim’s family went to Bangshal Police Station to file a case, the officer-in-charge informed Ibrahim, the then DC (Wari division), of the incident and recorded a theft case.  

Later, the DMP initiated an enquiry after receiving a written complaint from the victim’s family.  

According to the probe report, some 30 to 35 armed criminals stormed the house, tied all the residents, and looted valuables worth Tk 5 crore.

Despite knowing that the land grabbers evicted the legal owner of the house, demolished a three-storey building and constructed a basement for a new building, Ibrahim did not take any legal action against the grabbers, showing utmost negligence in discharging his duty, the report added. Police sources said he helped the grabbers for a huge amount of bribe.

In its case statement, the ACC said if they found Tapan’s involvement in investigation, legal action would be taken against him.

Apart from Tapan, those who will be found involved in this incident would be made accused in the case, it added.