Parents held for son's fault
Police has taken a couple under custody after failing to arrest their son who is an accused in a rape and attempted murder case filed with Khulna Sadar police station.
The arrestees are Abdus Salam, a vegetable vendor, and Beauty Begum of Gallamari area under Sonadanga police station.
Beauty was released on April 22 but Abdus Salam has still kept in the lock-up since his arrest on April 20.
Their son Rasul, along with two other accused in this case -- Piash and Jahirul of the same area -- have remained absconding, said SI Rezaul Karim, the investigation officer (IO) of the case.
The rape was committed on April 17 night on the roof a house at Nirala residential area under Khulna Sadar Police station.
The victim, a 14-year-old, girl is still undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital as she sustained serious injuries.
With the help of local leaders of Human Rights Implementation Committee,
she lodged a case on April 20 with Khulna Sadar police station naming three drug addict youths as accused of gang rape and an attempt to kill her.
The same day, SI Rezaul Karim took Abdus Salam and his wife Beauty Begum into custody although there is no allegation and court order against them.
"Police beat me several times to know whereabouts of my absconding son, which I do not know at all. My son went beyond our control long ago," said a tearful Abdus Salam.
Officer-in-Charge Monirul Giash of Sadar police station justified the act, saying, "The parents must be held equally responsible for sins of their sons and daughters. The question of legality in taking Salam into custody does not arise at all. We have no intention to let him off until his son is arrested."
"Abdus Salam's arrest is illegal as he is not an accused in the case and there is no court order in this regard. The act is also a violation of Article 33 of the constitution which says that no person can be detained without court order for more than 24 hours from the time of arrest," said advocate Mominul Islam, coordinator of the Khulna chapter of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission.
He alleged that the IO of the case is not sincerely trying to arrest the accused who are moving at large.
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