IO denies questioning two Ulfa leaders
The latest investigation officer (IO) in the Chittagong arms haul cases yesterday denied interrogating Indian separatist group Ulfa leaders Arabinda Rajkhowa and Anjan Chowdhury in connection with the 2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong.
IO Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury denied this while being cross-examined by advocate Kamrul Islam Sazzad, a lawyer for the accused and former DGFI director Brig Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury.
When the lawyer showed Moniruzzaman a news report published in The Daily Star on August 7, 2010, mentioning that the two Ulfa leaders were interrogated by the Task Force for Interrogation on the arms haul, the IO said he had no idea about such an interrogation.
The lawyer also asked the investigator whether he had questioned former Jatiya Party lawmaker Golam Faruk Ovi, ex-army chief Gen Moyeen U Ahmed, Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, Lt Gen (retd) HM Ershad, businessman Abdul Awal Mintu, Col (retd) Wasif Ashraf and Brig Gen (retd) Bari. Moniruzzaman said he had interrogated none.
Talking to The Daily Star, advocate Kamrul said several witnesses and accused in their statements mentioned the names and some activities of those people and also of businessman Salman F Rahman.
When the lawyer claimed that Rezzakul was made an accused on the direction of the incumbent prime minister and the present government since he denied giving any statement involving BNP leader Tarique Rahman and the then Prime Minister's Office in the arms haul, Moniruzzaman replied that it was absolutely false. The cross examination was recorded by Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1.
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