SI Jahid faces judicial probe

A Dhaka court yesterday ordered a judicial inquiry into the allegation against suspended SI Jahidur Rahman Khan and OC Syed Ziauzzaman of Pallabi Police Station of torturing Istiaq Ahmed Jony to death upon his detention from a Bhiari camp in February.

Jahid had been arrested in another case of custodial death of garment-waste trader Mahbubur Rahman Sujan on July 13 and is now in jail, pending trial.

The court order came following a murder case filed by Jony's brother Imtiaz Hossain with Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court under the Torture and Custodial Death (Protection) Act-2013. SI Jahid, OC Ziauzzaman and six others were made accused in the case.

The judge sent the case to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka for a judicial inquiry and asked for the submission of a report as early as possible.

In the case statement, the complainant said a police team led by the then sub-inspector of Pallabi Police Station Jahidur Rahman Khan picked up Jony, 25, along with four other youths from a wedding at Rahmat Bihari Camp at the early hours of February 8.

Jony was detained after he had beaten up a police informer, Sumon, for assaulting several female guests at the wedding party on getting drunk, the victim's brother Imtiaz said. Being informed of the incident, SI Jahid along with others picked up Jony and several other youths from the spot, took them to the police station and beat them up mercilessly.

At one stage, Jony fell sick. He was taken to Dhaka National Heart Foundation where he died. Jony was brought dead to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital eight hours later, Imtiaz said.

The victim's brother also accused sub-inspectors, Abdul Baten, Md Rashed and Shovon Kumar Saha, constable Nazrul Islam and two police sources -- Sumon and Jahedul -- of torturing Jony to death.

He said they had committed the murder on orders of the OC of the police station.

However, OC Ziauzzaman claimed that Jony had died of injuries he received during a clash between youths of Irani Camp and Rahmat Camp in Dhaka.

SI Jahid was closed to the police headquarters after the death of Jony and later posted to Mirpur Police Station.

While discharging duty at the police station, he allegedly was involved in another custodial death of trader Sujan.