Charge sheet gathering dust in home ministry
Two years into the killing, police could not pressed charges against the accused in Jubo League leader and KCC councillor Shahid Iqbal Bithar murder case.
Yesterday was the second death anniversary of Jubo League central vice chairman and councillor of KCC ward No 24 Shahid Iqbal Bither. On this day in 2009, Bithar was gunned down near his residence at Mussalmanpara under Khulna Sadar Police Station
Khulna district and city Awami League jointly observed Bithar's death anniversary by bringing out a mourning procession in the city, placing wreaths on the grave and holding doa mehfil. Khulna City Corporation also observed the day.
Two days after the killing in 2009, Rafique Ahmed, brother-in-law of slain Jubo league leader, filed a murder case with Sadar Police Station. Police arrested 15 people as suspects in the case and later prepared a charge sheet against them.
Fourteen out of 15 charge-sheeted accused in the murder case are now out of the jail getting bail from the High court. Extremists Akash and Raju were the last two charge sheeted accused, who got bail in the middle of last month, said Inspector Mamum Khan, also the Investigation Officer (IO) of this sensational murder case.
The lone extremist named as Shabe Kadir is still in Khulna district jail in connection with another murder case.
The charge sheet in Jubo League leader Shahid Iqbal Bithar murder case has been gathering dust since last two years in the monitoring cell of the home ministry. Charge sheet will be submitted to the court after getting green signal from the monitoring cell, IO Mamun Khan said.
Four out of 15 charge-sheeted accused who made confessional statement to court under Section 164 later submitted petition to the same court, retracting their confessional statement.
A group of local leaders of Awami League want police to press charge sheet in pursuance of the confessional statements made to court by the four accused.
On the other hand, another group of prominent local leaders of the ruling party want the IO to exclude their names from the charge sheet before submitting it to the court.
So, I am now in a fix what to do with the charge sheet of the most sensational murder case. Probably, it would not be possible on my part to submit the charge sheet to the court until and unless green signal is given from monitoring cell of the home ministry, Inspector Mamun Khan said.
Mayor and President of Khulna City Awami League Talukder Abdul Khaleque launched movement several times during last two years demanding arrest of the killers and masterminds behind the killing.
I urged the prime minister, home minister, central and local leaders of the ruling party to ensure fair trial of the case. But time is being killed in the name of extended investigation into the case, said Prof Runu Reza who succeeded her slain husband Bithar as councillor of KCC ward No 24 in the by-election held early last year.
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