Chauffeur of Shafat also admits crimes

Billal Hossain, chauffeur of the prime accused in Banani rape case Ahmed Shafat, yesterday confessed before a magistrate to his involvement in rapes of two private university students at a hotel in the capital on March 28.

Billal stated that he filmed a male friend of the two girls clutching a fistful of Yaba pills. All the accused forced the friend to pose with the contraband pills and threatened him that they would brand him as a Yaba trader if he told anyone about the rape incident, police and court sources told The Daily Star.

It could not be known immediately what Billal said about the rape incident.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mahmudul Hassan recorded his statement. He was later sent to jail.

Earlier on Thursday, Shafat “admitted” before a magistrate that he and his friend Nayem Ashraf alias Halim raped the girls in The Raintree Dhaka hotel in Banani.

Nayem, who was placed on a seven-day remand after being arrested in Munshiganj on Wednesday, admitted to police that he raped one of the two girls while Shafat raped the other, said a top official at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). 

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday allowed police to carry out a forensic test on five mobile phones of Shafat and his associate Shadman Sakif, who also gave confessional statement before a magistrate on Thursday.

Investigation officer of the case Inspector Ismot Ara Ame filed the application seeking permission for a forensic test on two mobile phones and a power bank. Police will try to retrieve photos or video clips, if exists, investigators said.

Yesterday, the same court permitted investigators to collect DNA samples from Nayem's body.  It is necessary to confirm whether those match with the DNA samples of one of the victim's clothe that she handed over to the investigators after filing a rape case on May 6, thinking it would help them get justice.

She neither washed the gown that she wore that night.

Meanwhile, the probe team investigating negligence of Banani police in dealing with the rape issue has been given three more days to submit their report.

Mizanur Rahman, additional commissioner (crime) of DMP, said they took the time as they were yet to take statement of three major witnesses. “Punitive action would be taken against those found to be responsible,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) yesterday condemned the act of circulating photographs of the two victims on the social media and some news portals.

ASK demanded that the authorities concerned remove the videos and photographs immediately and requested all not to circulate those anymore as it goes against the law and morality.