Yet another victim of Singra upazila in Natore, who was mistakenly implicated in a case, has been acquitted following a court order after 18 years.

Natore District and Session Judge Mohammad Saifur Rahman Siddik today ordered to acquit Bablu Sheikh, 55, who was arrested instead of Sree Babu in connection with a case lodged with Singra Police Station in 2001.

In his observation, Judge Saifur Rahman compared Bablu’s suffering to the plights of Jaj Mia and Jaha Alam, reports our Natore correspondent.

At the same time, the court order the concerned authorities to take legal action against police officials responsible for the suffering of Babul Sheikh.

Asking the authorities to inform the court after executing the verdict, the judge also ordered the police officials to be careful in carrying out their duties.

The judge read out the verdict giving acquittal to Bablu Sheikh in the presence of family members of the victim and media men around 11:00 pm.

“Babul Sheikh’s incident is the reflection of Jaj Mia and Jaha Alam incidents,” the judge said in his observation.

Though Babul Sheikh is a Muslim by born, the concerned police official has extremely neglected his duty by arresting him instead of Sree Babu.

Apart from this, the then officer-in-charge of the police station has done wrong by signing in the challan book without justifying anything in this connection, the judge said in his observation.

Sub-Inspectors Mominul Islam and Helena Parvin, investigation officers of the case, did not verify facts and other details of the victim and accused when they submitted the charge sheet in the connection, he said.

Besides, despite having information, the defence lawyer did not submit any facts and documents before the court, but the ensured bail to Bablu Sheikh in the wrong name, he said.

During the hearing, the defence lawyer did not place any faces and documents in this regard though it was supposed to submit before the court, according to the judge.

The court has also ordered SI Helena Parvin to submit a report after investigating the matter, but she did not comply with the order, he said.

After ending the hearing, the court acquitted Bablu Sheikh from the charge and passed an order to take legal measures against the two sub-inspectors, the then OC and the police officials involved in the arrest of the victim.

The court ordered the concerned authority to send the copy of the verdict to the superintendent of police in Natore, Deputy Inspector General, Rajshahi range and Inspector General of Police to take measure in this regard.

The victim can now move to the higher court with the copy of the verdict seeking compassions for his harassment for the last 18 years, the judge said.

In 2001, two groups of villagers at Gangoil village under Singra upazila locked in a clash that left some people injured.

Later, Abdul Malek, a villager, lodge a case against six people including Shree Babu with Singra Police Station.

After submission of the charge sheet against the accused including Shree Babu, police arrested Babul Sheikh son of Yakub Ali at Ancholkot village of the upazila instead of Shree Babu, son of Shree Debdas of the same village.

In June 2016, a Natore court awarded Shree Babu for 2 years of imprisonment and fined Tk 5,000.

But Babul Sheikh was sent to the court as Shree Babu. Later, Bablu Sheikh gets bail in August 2016 and apple to the court.

Defence lawyer Advocate Shamim Uddin said after a long haring, the Additional District and Session Judge Mohammad Saifur Rahman Siddik acquitted Babul Sheikh from the case and issued an arrest warrant against Shree Babu.

Bablu Sheikh said, he is very happy for his acquittal from the case and thanked his advocates and the government for giving him support.

Jute mill worker Jaha Alam was wrongly imprisoned for three years because of an identity mess-up. He got released on February 4, a day after the HC exonerated him. He was arrested in connection with cases filed by ACC for misappropriating Sonali Bank money.