Forcibly taking confession from minor in Bogura: HC astonished by govt for promoting IO

The High Court today expressed utter astonishment by the government's decision of promoting Nayan Kumar, the then sub-inspector of police, who forcibly took a confessional statement from a deceased's minor brother in Bogura in 2015, to the post of inspector.

"A twelve-year old child was tortured for taking a confession over his eight-year old brother's killing. How inhuman it is! There was a necessity for probing why and how he (Nayan) did it. But, without taking any action against him, he has been given promotion to the post of inspector," it said.

The HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Atoar Rahman made their observation during the hearing of a criminal revision petition filed challenging the legality of the trial proceedings of the case at the Juvenile Court in Bogura.

"We sought an explanation from him (Nayan). But, he said in the reply that he completed his honours and masters degrees in applied chemistry from Rajshahi University. He wanted to justify his act by writing it, which is unpardonable," Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim said. 

Nayan's lawyer Shanjida Khanam told the HC his (Nayan's) bosses, including the officer-incharge of the police station concerned had influence on him as he was then a new officer and young man as an investigation officer (IO).

Nayan has offered unconditional apology and he will never do such act in future, the lawyer said.

Nayan, who is now in the office of armed police battalion on charge of a Rohingya camp appeared in person before the bench as per its earlier directive. 

Petitioners' lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told the HC that the acts of Nayan should be taken seriously. He also prayed to the court to order the authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against him.            

After concluding hearing, the HC fixed December 13 for passing order on the petition and asked Nayan to appear before it on that day.

On August 25, 2015, the body of an eight-year-old named Md Sohag was found in a jute field in Bogura's Katakhali.

O June 11 this year, The Daily Star published a report titled "Bearing the unbearable" on the murder case, describing torture on Sohag's elder brother 12 years' old Sourav Mia and sufferings of their family.

This prompted five Supreme Court lawyers to file the petition as public interest litigation with the HC seeking necessary directives.