10-Truck Arms Haul
Former Ctg magistrate cross-examined
A former Chittagong metropolitan magistrate yesterday said he was
not under duress while recording confessional statements of three accused, none of whom were injured at that time, in the 10-truck arms
haul cases.
The three are Akbar Hossain Khan, a National Security Intelligence (NSI) field officer;
Wing Commander (retd) Shahabuddin, a former NSI director; and Md Hafizur Rahman, an alleged smuggler.
Mohammad Mahabubur Rahman, a prosecution witness, also said the recordings were made following due law after court hours, on
May 2 and June 13 of 2009 and February
6 of 2010 respectively.
Mahabubur yesterday was being cross-examined by defence lawyers before Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 Judge SM Mojibur Rahman, said court sources. The court adjourned its
proceedings till today.
During the current month, three former metropolitan magistrates -- Muntasir Ahmed, Md Abu Hannan and Osman Gani -- gave depositions and were cross-examined.
Yesterday, 11 of the accused, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and former
industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, were produced before the court.
On April 2, 2004, around 1,500 wooden boxes containing submachine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets were seized from two vessels at a Chittagong Urea
Fertiliser Limited jetty.
Two cases were filed the next day with Karnaphuli Police Station under the special powers act and arms act for smuggling and seizure of the arms cache.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments