Charges against 11 'militants' accepted at court
A Dhaka court yesterday accepted charges against 11 “militants” in the case filed for killing eight people during a sensational bank heist in Ashulia last year.
The accused are Md Borhanuddin, Md Saiful alias Alamin alias Babu, Babul alias Babul Sardar, Mintu Pradhan, Md Jasimuddin, Abul Baten, Md Mozammel Haque, Md Ukil Hassan, Md Mahfuzul Islam alias Suman alias Shamim, Shahabuddin Sardar and Palash alias Sohel Rana.
Of the accused, Sohel Rana is on the run, while the rest are now in jail.
All the accused are alleged members of banned Islamist outfits -- Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), according to the charge sheet.
After scrutinising the case diary and other relevant documents, Judge SM Kuddus Zaman of the District and Sessions Judge's Court passed the order yesterday.
The court also fixed January 18 for a hearing on charge framing in the case against the accused.
On December 1 last year, Dipak Chandra Saha, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station, submitted two charge sheets -- one for the killings and robbery, and the other for possessing explosives -- to the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court of Dhaka.
The case lodged for possessing explosives is pending with another Dhaka court.
In broad daylight on April 21 that year, robbers shot eight people dead and injured several others in Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd in Ashulia, on the outskirts of the capital, before leaving with Tk 35 lakh.
A mob captured and beat one of the robbers to death.
During the investigation into the case, Dipak discovered the involvement of 13 people in the robbery and the killings.
One of the 13 was beaten to death by the mob, and the alleged mastermind behind the robbery, Abdullah Al Baki, was killed in a “shootout” with law enforcers in Gabtoli last November.
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