Case against 6 PBI men dismissed

A Chattogram court yesterday dismissed a case filed against Banaj Kumar Majumdar, the chief of police bureau of investigation, and five other PBI officials over the custodial torture of former SP Babul Akter. 

Judge Jebunnesa of Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Court passed the order, court sources said.

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The five others are: Nazmul Hasan, PBI's Chattogram district superintendent of police (SP); Naima Sultana, SP of PBI Chattogram metro unit; Santosh Kumar Chakma, officer-in-charge of Khulshi Police Station and former investigation officer of the Mitu murder case; AKM Mohiuddin Selim, the CMP's assistant commissioner and former PBI inspector; and Kazi Enayet Kabir, PBI inspector.

Public Prosecutor Fakhruddin Chowdhury told The Daily Star, "The court, in its order, said it is not possible for any official of the rank of inspector to physically abuse and torture a senior police official, especially an SP. Moreover, Babul Akter was produced before the court a number of times during his 14 months in jail, but did not file any complaint for custodial torture against PBI earlier.

"To the court, it seemed that Babul, who is the prime accused in the murder of his wife Mitu, lodged the complaint before the court to interrupt the trial procedures of the murder case," he added.

Contacted, Babul's lawyer Golam Mowla Murad said, "We will challenge the lower court's order in the higher court."

The judge yesterday rejected another petition filed by Babul Akter on September 12, which sought the court's directives to the authorities of Feni Jail to ensure his security.

On September 8, Babul filed a case with the court, accusing the PBI chief and others of torturing him in police custody after his arrest in the murder case.

"Before showing him arrested in the Mitu murder case, Babul Akter was physically and mentally tortured in custody of the Police Bureau of Investigation so that he would confess to the killing of his wife as per PBI chief's direction," said the case statement.

On June 5, 2016, Mitu was stabbed and shot dead when she was walking her son to his school bus stop at the port city's GEC intersection.

Babul then filed a case against three unidentified men with Panchlaish Police Station in Chattogram. PBI took charge of the case from CMP in February 2020.

On May 11, 2021, Babul was taken to the PBI office in Dhaka for interrogation before being moved to the Chattogram PBI office.

Later, he was shown arrested in the Mitu murder case, filed by her father accusing him and seven others.

After his arrest, PBI said Babul was the mastermind of his wife's murder.