Suspected Huji cadre shown held

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday showed arrested an alleged member of Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case.
CID officials said they came to know about Abdul Majid's connection with Huji and his involvement with the grenade attacks from the confession of detained Huji founder and Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) chief Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam who is now on a fresh four-day remand.
A CID source said Majid was arrested on January 6 at the city's Uttara area in connection with an arms case. He might have link with the criminals of grenade attack on Awami League rally.
Suspected Huji man Majid was shown arrested with the permission of the court following a prayer by Additional Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abdul Kahar Akand of CID, also the investigation officer of the grenade attack case.
The CID investigator also prayed for a 10-day remand for Majid. Second Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Habibur Rahman Siddique fixed the hearing today.
Talking to The Daily Star, Abul Kahar Akand declined to comment on whether Majid was involved in the grenade attack or has link with the people who helped to escape the attackers.
Earlier, a CID source said they had identified Huji men Monir and Idris who helped the perpetrators escape by a white microbus.
Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar is in his third phase remand in the case while Abdus Salam and Dhaka City Corporation ward-53 councillor Ariful Islam in second phase.
The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to bring Ariful Islam to Dhaka central jail within 24 hours and interrogate him at the jail gate.
On Monday, Ariful Islam was taken on a five-day remand in the case.
The High Court bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad passed the order upon a petition filed by Arif.
Arif in the petition alleged that he had been tortured in remand though he was seriously ill.
He prayed to the court to direct the authorities to cancel his remand and interrogate him at the jail gate.
Deputy Attorney General Kazi M Ejarul Haque yesterday told The Daily Star that the government has filed a petition with the Supreme Court to stay the High Court order and the hearing would be held today.
Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mian appeared for the petitioner.
Earlier, CID also detained BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, elder brother of another accused Lasker e Taiba (LeT) leader Moulana Tajuddin, in connection with the grenade attack case.