Taleya claims husband not involved in any abduction, murder plot

Taleya Rehman, wife of detained veteran journalist Shafik Rehman, yesterday claimed that her husband was not involved in any plot to abduct or murder Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.

She claimed that she had heard her husband had gone to the US a few years ago to investigate the veracity of a rumour about a leak about Joy's financial information, and he had met former FBI agent Robert Lustyik there, according to BBC Bangla Service.

She also said the law enforcers indeed found related documents in their house, and her husband handed those over to them, but those contained no plot for abduction or murder.

In a written statement, she said she feared that her husband would be denied justice with the prevailing "one-sided smear campaign against him".

Taleya claimed Joy had been posting "untrue status" on the facebook one after another, that were defamatory and influencing the investigation, since the arrest of her husband.   

"Considering the reality of Bangladesh, the fear is not baseless that the investigation of the motivated case is developing in a motivated way, as a powerful person of the government such as Sajeeb Wazed Joy has taken such a stance," she alleged.

"I doubt Shafik will get fair treatment and justice," Taleya said, who is also the head of Democracy Watch. 

She talked to reporters at her Eskaton home in the capital. Shafik Rehman is now in the second phase of remand in a case for plotting to abduct and kill Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Police arrested Shafik on April 16 from his house.

She also expressed fear that he might die anytime due to his age, sickness, and torture in the name of remand.

She claimed that arresting and putting Shafik Rehman on remand in relation to a case which had been adjudicated a year ago in a US court was not only inhumane but also uncivilised.        

She added that recently she got a copy of the US court verdict, and there was no conviction for abduction or murder plot.

Taleya said after the arrest Shafik was very much in spirit. But when he was brought to the court after the first phase of remand, he looked very tired and depressed. 

She said Shafiq told her that "the law enforcers might torture him more to force a confession".