The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel yesterday conducted raids in an attempt to arrest three former investigators of August 21 grenade attacks case. They are accused for misleading the case and protecting the real culprits.
Sources said the CID officials raided the residences of the three investigators, retired special superintendent (SS) of police Ruhul Amin, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) (retd) Abdur Rashid and ASP (retd) Munshi Atiqur Rahman.
However, none was arrested as all of them absconded before the CID drives.
The CID filed a case with Paltan Police Station last March 29 accusing the three for misdirecting the case and destroying evidences to shield the culprits involved directly and indirectly in the carnage during an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
ASP Rownakul Huq Chowdhury of CID is assigned the investigation officer (IO) of this case.
"Asked, none of their family members provided any information about the absconding officers' whereabouts", said ASP Rownak and added, "We must arrest them at any cost and if they do not surrender, we would take action according to the rules."
Talking to The Daily Star about the progress in the investigation, the IO said they had already received the dockets and visited the places of occurrence (PO).
In another reply, the ASP said, "We have already talked to the plaintiff of the case ASP Fazlul Kabir in this regard."
Asked about the measures against the then government high-ups who influenced the investigators to misdirect the investigation, he said, "Let us arrest the accused played vital role to hide the real conspirators."
The three former CID officials also forced and tortured three alleged suspects to make confessional statements before the magistrate.
Meanwhile, ASP Fazlul Kabir of CID has been appointed the new IO of the August 21 grenade attacks case.