Writ seeks arrest of cop Masud, judicial probe
- Arrest of suspended cop Masud sought
- Challenges legality of Masud’s torture of Rabby
- Seeks HC order on judicial probe into the incident
- Writ asks for Tk 3cr compensation for Rabby
- Hearing on the petition likely tomorrow
A writ petition was filed with the High Court today seeking the arrest of suspended policeman Masud Shikder and a judicial probe over the torture of a Bangladesh Bank official.
Two Supreme Court lawyers and a journalist collectively moved the petition seeking its directives to form a judicial probe committee to investigate the incident.
SC lawyers AKM Ehsanur Rahman, Julfikar Ali Julu and journalist Jahid Hasan filed the petition.
Challenging the legality of the policeman’s torture of the bank official Golam Rabby, the writ also sought damages from the government of Tk 3 crore as compensation for the victim.
READ MORE: Tortured BB official recalls cop brutality
Petitioners’ lawyer AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told reporters that the policemen led by SI Masud illegally and arbitrarily tortured Rabby in violation of the constitution.
Rabby’s physical condition is very bad and there is doubt if he will fully recover from the physical injuries. “Hence, he should be given compensation”.
The lawyer also said a police probe into the incident might not be fair and impartial. As a result, they prayed to the HC to ask the government to conduct the enquiry through a judicial probe body.
Mahbub said the HC may hold a hearing on the petition tomorrow.
Mohammadpur Police Station’s former sub-inspector Masud was first closed and then suspended amid outcries of justice, days after he tortured Rabby asking for a Tk 5 lakh bribe.
The suspended officer Masud also threatened to kill him in “a shootout” and implicate him in a narcotics lawsuit if Rabby failed to give him the money.
READ MORE: Rogue SI closed
Rabby, on the other hand, is being treated at a Dhaka hospital, where, he recently said to have received “indirect threats” asking him to refrain from seeking legal actions against his torturers.
Media fired rapid reports on the development of the story and dug out Masud’s activities. He is said to have formed a notorious gang back in his hometown of Mymensingh.