Three ex-IOs of August 21 blast case surrender

Three former investigation officers (IOs) of August 21 grenade blast case surrendered before a Dhaka court yesterday in a case filed against them on charges of misleading the probe.
They are former superintendent of police (SP) Ruhul Amin and former ASPs Abdur Rashid and Munshi Atiqur Rahman of Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge ANM Bashir Ullah fixed June 1 for hearing the bail petitions submitted by the three.
Earlier on April 13, the ex-CID officials appeared before the High Court (HC) to seek bail. But the HC bench turned down their pleas and ordered them to surrender before the lower court within eight weeks. It also directed the law enforcement agencies not to arrest or harass them during the period.
On March 29, CID's ASP Fazlul Kabir, present IO of the grenade attack case, filed the case against his former colleagues with Paltan Police Station.
According to the complaint, the accused had implicated a number of innocent people in the August 21 case to conceal facts and let the actual criminals get away.
The charges include destroying evidence and forcing people into making confessional statements.
The grenade attack on an Awami League rally on August 21, 2004 left at least 24 people dead and scores injured.