Babar gave vital info on grenades

Detained former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar has given interrogators vital information about the suppliers of Arges grenades used in the August 21 attack on an Awami League rally in 2004.
The investigation officer of the August 21 murder case told it to a Dhaka court yesterday before seeking a fresh six-day remand for Babar. The court granted his three-day remand.
CID Additional Superintendent of Police Abdul Kahar Akond, the IO of the case, however did not elaborate on the lead.
The same court also granted a four-day remand for Moulana Sheikh Abdus Salam, convener of Islamic Democratic Party, and a five-day remand for DCC Ward Councillor Ariful Islam Arif in the same case.
Babar was shown arrested in the case on October 26 and remanded for nine days in two phases.
Arif, who was shown arrested on Thursday, has been placed on remand for the first time in the case.
Salam was arrested for suspected links to the attack on November 2 and had earlier been remanded for six days.
The IO filed separate petitions with the second additional chief metropolitan magistrate's court seeking a six-day remand for Babar, eight days for Salam and ten days for Arif.
In the forwarding report, the IO said Babar needs to be remanded for getting more information on the grenade attack and find out the reason why he did not visit the scene only 150 to 200 yards away from his office soon after the carnage.
Salam and Arif need to be grilled for finding out their involvement with the incident, he said.
Defence lawyers submitted petitions seeking bail and cancellation of the remand prayers.
They claimed their clients were implicated in the case as part of a conspiracy to harass them. Moreover, the IO failed to get any vital clue from them about the attack, the counsels said.
The magistrate rejected the bail petitions after hearing both the sides.