Actor Sohel Chowdhury murder: Accused Ashish was trying to flee to Canada
Ashish Roy Chowdhury, a fugitive accused in a case filed over the murder of film actor Sohel Chowdhury in December 1998, had planned to flee to Canada after a Dhaka court issued arrest warrant against him recently.
Khandaker Al Moin, Rab's Legal and Media wing director, said this at a press conference today, after Rab arrested him from Dhaka's Gulshan last night, 24 years after the murder.
Ashish, who never got arrested in the case before, booked a ticket to travel to Canada on April 7 but he deferred the date to April 22 after his well-wishers advised him to secure bail first, Moin said quoting the arrestee.
Ashish claimed he has Canadian citizenship.
Replying to a query, Moin said a Dhaka court issued warrant against him and five others on February 27 this year and Rab got a copy of the warrant on March 28.
As it's a sensational case, Rab on its own collected the arrest warrant and arrested him, he said.
The five other fugitives are staying in different countries including US, Thailand and Canada, Rab said quoting Ashish.
On December 18, 1998, Sohel Chowdhury was shot dead by miscreants at Trumps Club in Abedin Tower, in Dhaka's Banani area.
Following the incident, the victim's brother filed a murder case at Gulshan Police Station.
After investigation, detectives pressed charges against businessman Aziz Muhammad Bhai, Ashish and seven others on July 30, 1999.
It could not be known whether Ashish secured bail in the case as the High Court in 2003 stayed the proceedings of the trial. The stay was withdrawn after 19 years on February 27 this year.
Moin said a managing director of a five-star hotel managed the Gulshan house for him after the issuance of the warrant recently.
The accused was working at a well-reputed organization and has earlier worked at several others including at an airline, Moin said.
The Rab official, however, did not disclose the names of the hotel's MD and the institutions.
Replying to another query, the Rab official said Ashish told Rab that he was in Canada four-five years after the murder; travelled to UAE, US and Thailand; and met other accused in the case there.
Moin said Ashish claimed he had an alcohol licence but he could not show it. A case under Narcotics Control Act will be filed against him as 27 bottles of liquor were seized from his possession.
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