Police free 2 AL men held for looting
Police released two accused in a case filed under the Speedy Trial Act hours after their arrest in Terokheda upazlia on July 27.
The accused, Khokan Sheikh and Robi Sheikh, were arrested on the night of July 26 on charge of looting a shrimp enclosure at Naliarchar village in the upazila on July 22.
An armed gang looted shrimps worth about Tk 5 lakh from the enclosure owned by Bulbul Ahmed, an activist of Awami League Terokheda upazila unit, at around 11:00pm on July 22.
Bulbul lodged a case with Terokheda Police Station the following day, accusing four people including Khokon and Robi. The case was recorded under the Speedy Trial Act the same day and Sub-Inspector Rafiq Ahmed made investigation officer (IO).
Some locals caught Khokon and Robi at Katenga Bazar on the night of July 26 and later handed them over to the police who let them off at around 6:00am on July 27.
The complainant of the case, Bulbul, told this correspondent that Khokan and Robi Sheikh gave him death threat immediately after being released from police custody.
When asked, investigation officer Rafiq said the officer-in-charge (OC) can release any accused from thana custody.
OC Matiar Rahman, when contacted, claimed Terokheda upazila chairman Sharfuddin Biswas Bachchu put pressure on him to release Khokon and Robi, also the local AL activists.
“ I let them off under duress,” the OC added.
Advocate Mominul Islam, coordinator of the Khulna unit of Bangladesh Human Rights Enforcement Society, said the OC or any other police officer has no right to release any accused in a case under the Speedy Trial Act from police station without court order.
The upazila chairman refuted the allegation of influencing the OC to release the two from the police station.
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