SP Babul signed resignation letter under pressure

SP Babul Akter signed his resignation letter when he was kept in police custody for 15 hours, said police and his family sources.

He had to sign it as he was left with two options -- either to face trial for his alleged link with his wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu's murder or resign.

The resignation letter, however, is yet to be submitted to the police headquarters, said the sources.

Babul was picked up from his father-in-law's home at Meradia in the capital on Friday night and was interrogated for 15 hours at the Detective Branch office on Minto Road.

The sources said three DIG-ranked officials told him that they had evidence of his link to the murder and gave him the options.

“Although Babul did not admit his involvement, he opted to sign the resignation letter considering the future of his two children,” said a family source, wishing anonymity.

Babul was pressurised to pick one of the two choices, said the sources.

On June 5, three assailants stabbed and shot dead Mitu after she left her OR Nizam Road house on foot around 6:35am to put her son on a school bus at GEC Intersection in the port city.

Police said seven to eight persons took part in the murder. Of them, three attacked Mitu and others were backup team members. Police have so far held six people. Of them, three have been shown arrested.

On Tuesday, Babul's father-in-law Musharraf Hossain, a former police inspector, told The Daily Star that he did not think Babul had anything to do with his daughter's murder.

Talking to this correspondent yesterday, several police officials said they wanted the truth to be unearthed, and Babul must be tried, if guilty. But he should not be victimised if he was innocent.

Earlier in the day, family members of two suspects in the murder claimed that the duo was picked up days before police say they arrested them.

Ehtesamul Huq alias Bhola, who police said supplied arms for the shooting of Mitu, and his associate Monir Hossain were held in Chittagong's Rajakhali area on June 27 and the following day, the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) said on Tuesday.

However, their family members and neighbours claimed that they had been picked up on June 21 and 24.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Md Kamruzzaman of Detective Branch of the CMP, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, said another accused, Kamrul Shikder alias Musa, was still on the run.

Musa had been an informant for several police high officials, including Babul, since 2003, said CMP sources.

Recently, two other accused, Washim and Anwar, in their confessional statement before a magistrate, said Musa hired six others, including the duo, for killing Mitu, said police.

Yesterday, law enforcers at all airports and land ports were asked to stay alert so that Musa and the other accused could not leave the country, said Kamruzzaman.

CMP sources, however, said Musa had already been picked up and he had divulged “some information”.

Based on that, SP Babul was picked up for questioning, added the sources.

On Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said it had not yet come up that the police official was responsible for or involved in the killing of his wife.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, a number of police officials, wishing not to be named, said the mystery behind the murder would be solved once Musa was arrested.

Musa and his family members had been living in Bahaddarhat area of the port city for long. However, they were staying elsewhere for last seven days, said police sources.

PICKED UP EARLIER?

Nargis Akter, wife of arrested accused Bhola, told The Daily Star yesterday that her husband went missing after he had gone to an iftar party on June 21.

She also said they went to the Bakalia Police Station and the local DB office looking for Bhola but did not find him there.

Nargis said they went to the police station again the following day but police refused to file a general diary over the matter.

OC Abul Mansoor denied the allegation.

Bhola stands accused in 16 cases, including for murders, said police.

Nargis said her husband was involved in criminal activities some ten years ago but has now quit all of them.

However, Nurul Huq, councillor of ward-35 in Bakshirhat under Chittagong City Corporation, claimed that Bhola and some of his relatives were criminals. One of his nephews, Nayan, was killed in police “crossfire” several years ago.

Bhola's accomplice Monir was picked up in the early morning of June 24, said several of his neighbours.