SQ Chy now booked for war crimes
Detained BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was shown arrested for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday.
A three-member judges' panel headed by Justice Nizamul Huq directed the authorities concerned to produce Salauddin before the court on December 30 on the charges.
The tribunal also comprised Justice ATM Fazle Kabir and Justice AKM Zaheer Ahmed.
It passed the order after hearing a petition filed on December 15 by war crimes investigation agency for Salauddin's arrest.
Chief Prosecutor of the tribunal Ghulam Arieff Tipoo later told reporters Salauddin would be held in detention until the agency completes probing the war crimes allegations against the lawmaker.
The prosecutor during the hearing prayed to the court to serve arrest warrant on Salauddin for the killings of Nutan Chandra Singh at Raozan in Chittagong on April 13, 1971 and 104 others.
He said the investigators and prosecutors gathered evidence of Salauddin's involvement in killing and torturing innocent people particularly the Hindus in 1971.
Salauddin was allegedly involved in the killings of Nutan Singh, founder of herbal medicine factory Kundeshwari Oushadhalaya, and 35 people at Jagatmallo Para and 69 others at Unasattar Para in Chittagong during the War of Independence, he said.
Primary investigation shows Salauddin with the help of Pakistan occupation forces led the murders and tortures near his Goods Hill residence in the port city, the prosecutor noted.
If the BNP leader is allowed to move free, he might hamper the investigation and influence the witnesses, Tipoo said.
On December 16, law enforcers arrested the BNP standing committee member from Banani in connection with torching a car at Moghbazar on June 26. The arson left one person dead.
Salauddin's lawyer Fakhrul Islam wanted to submit two petitions before the tribunal.
One of the petitions states Justice Nizamul Huq and Justice ATM Fazle Kabir have no constitutional jurisdiction to hold the office of judge of the International Crimes Tribunal, since they are the judges of High Court division of the Supreme Court.
Another petition claimed the investigation agency's petition filed for the arrest of Salauddin had become ineffective since he was arrested on December 16 in a separate case.
The court, however, asked Fakhrul to submit the petitions through its registrar.
REMAND CONTINUES
Deputy Commissioner Monirul Islam of Detective Branch said they continued grilling Salauddin, as no court order was served to end his remand.
A fresh remand would be sought if necessary, as Salauddin was not cooperative with the interrogators, Monirul Islam said.
Salauddin has been on a five-day remand at the DB office on Minto Road since his arrest on December 16.
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