Chittagong: SM Asaduzzaman (52), an accused in the Torture and Death in Custody (Prevention) Act case, has been arrested in connection with the death of retired ACC officer Syed Mohammad Shahidullah in police custody at Chandgaon police station in the city.
Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) metro unit arrested him from Mozaffar Nagar area under Bayezid Bostami police station in the city around 11:30 am on Thursday (April 25).
SM Asaduzzaman is a resident of Chandgaon police station area.
Earlier, the same case accused Jasim Uddin was arrested from Rahattalpool area of Baklia police station on the night of December 25 and the accused Md Liton was arrested from Chowkbazar area of the city on February 12.
Inspector of PBI Chittagong Metro Unit. Ilyas Khan told BanglaNews that SM Asaduzzaman, the accused in the case of torture and death in custody (Prevention of Death in Custody) Act, was arrested from Bayezid Bostami’s Mozaffar Nagar area around 11:30 am on Thursday. He is being taken to the PBI Metro Unit.
On October 16, Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Dr. Begum Zebunnechar ordered to record the case in the police station when his wife Fauzia Anwar filed a case against 9 people in connection with the death of retired ACC officer Syed Mohammad Shahidullah.
The defendants in the case are – the then OC of Chandgaon Police Station. Khairul Islam, ASI Md. Yusuf, ASI Sohail Rana, Inspector (Investigation) Md. Mobinul Haque, SM Asaduzzaman (52), Md. Jasim Uddin, Roni Akhtar Tania (26) and Koli Akhtar (19) resident of Chandgaon Thana area.
The victim, Syed Mohammad Shahidullah, retired as Deputy Director (DD) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2018, the statement said. He lived within one kilometer of Chandgaon police station in the city. On August 29, a person named Roni Akhter Tania filed a lawsuit against Syed Mohammad Shahidullah and his brother-in-law Mohammad Qaiser Anwar due to a dispute with some local people over land there. After the hearing of the court case, the judge of the court took cognizance of the crime and issued summons against the two accused.
Haroon Or Rashid, Assistant Bench of the concerned court, disappeared. As a result, the accused did not receive any summons to appear in court. Then the court gave the next date of the case. As the plaintiff did not appear on that date, his lawyer applied for time. But on the same day, the court issued a warrant against the two accused. Then on the night of October 3, Shahidullah was arrested from his home by the Chandgaon police station of the city showing a court warrant. After being taken to the police station, the victim Shahidullah was tortured. At one point, Syed Mohammad Shahidullah died within a few hours.
Bangladesh Time: 1300 hours, April 25, 2024
MI/TC
