‘Murdered’ girl found alive: HC order on police action on Sept 24

The High Court will deliver its order on September 24 on a revision petition that challenged police for arresting three people and taking their confessional statements in front of a magistrate for raping and killing a minor in Narayanganj, only to find the victim alive days after.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman set the date for passing the order after finishing hearing arguments on the petition today.

A case was filed on charge of abducting a class five student. She was rescued alive 51 days after the incident took place but the accused who were arrested in this case confessed to raping and killing the girl.

In today's hearing, Shamim Al Mamun, the then investigation officer (IO) of the case, and also sub-inspector (SI) of Narayanganj Sadar Police Station, and SI Mostafizur Rahman, also current IO of the case, appeared before the HC bench with case records as per its August 27 order.

The court did not hear their statements.

However, SI Shamim's lawyer Advocate Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury, told the HC bench that police administration has already suspended his client and initiated departmental proceedings against him.

Shamim has not committed any offence by arresting the three accused in the case and placing them in front of the magistrate for their confessional statements, the lawyer argued.

Meanwhile, Advocate Taimur Alam Khondaker, a Supreme Court lawyer, who was present in the court room during the proceedings, requested the HC to order the magistrate, who recorded confessional statements from the three accused, to appear before this court to explain the matter.

The HC bench on August 27 asked former IO Shamim and SI Mostafizur to appear before it today (Thursday) to examine how the three accused gave confessional statements over the alleged rape and murder of the child even though she was rescued alive.

Five lawyers led by Mohammad Shishir Manir submitted the revision petition on August 25 challenging the case proceedings.

According to petition's statement, the girl went missing on July 4 this year. Her father filed the case with Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station on August 6 charge of abducting his daughter.

Police later arrested three accused -- Abdullah, Belal, Rakib -- in connection with the case.

The accused gave confessional statements to the magistrate concerned saying that they killed the child after raping her and then dumped the body in a river. After that they were sent to jail.

In the meantime, police found and rescued the child on August 23. She is now in police custody, according to the revision petition.

The petitioner questioned how could the child be alive but the three accused make statements saying that they raped and killed her.