A Jhalakathi court has ordered reinvestigation in a sensational case filed in 2011 against the attempted murder of Limon Hossain, then a college student from the district, by some members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Judge AHM Imranur Rahman of the Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the case after a hearing on Wednesday. Court police Inspector Kamruzzaman confirmed the matter on Thursday.
Earlier, lawyer Akkas Sikder appeared in court on behalf of the plaintiff, Limon’s mother, Henoara Begum, and filed a no-confidence petition against the previous investigation report.
After the court order, Limon, now an assistant lecturer, told reporters that RAB members unjustly shot and crippled him. “I will demand punishment for those who crippled me as long as I am alive.”
Long legal battle
On March 23, 2011, RAB-8 members shot Limon in the left leg while they were carrying out an operation against local criminals in Saturia village of Rajapur Upazila in Jhalakathi. Later, doctors had to amputate Limon's leg from the knee.
After the incident, RAB filed two separate cases against Limon and eight others under the Arms Act and for obstruction of government work, terming Limon a terrorist.
However, after a thorough investigation, the court found that all of the accused—including Limon—were not guilty in both cases.
On the other hand, Limon’s mother filed the attempted murder case in Jhalakathi court on April 10, 2011. The then DAD of Barisal RAB-8 Lutfar Rahman, Corporal Mazharul Islam, Constable Abdul Aziz, Naik Muktadir Hossain, Sainik Prahallad Chand, Sainik Kartik Kumar Biswas, and six unidentified others were made accused in the case.
Sub-Inspector Abdul Halim Talukder of Rajapur police station investigated the case and submitted the final report to the court on August 14, 2012, recommending the acquittal of all the accused.
On August 30, the complainant submitted an objection against the final report, but the Judicial Magistrate Court rejected the prayer on February 13, 2013.
Henoara Begum later filed a revision petition with the Jhalakathi District and Sessions Judge’s Court on March 18, 2013. Four years later, on April 1, 2018, Additional District Judge SKM Tofayel Hasan accepted the petition, and Senior Judicial Magistrate Selim Reza ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to reinvestigate the case on April 22, 2018.
After five years, Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Aminul Islam of the PBI head office submitted the final report to the court on September 17, 2022. The report said that while it is true that Limon was shot, there is no evidence as to who shot him.
Rejecting the final report, Limon's mother filed an objection in court on December 5, 2022. The latest court order came two years after the submission of the petition.
Limon's mother said that her son was not a terrorist. “A good boy was shot and crippled by RAB. I demand a fair and accurate trial of this incident,” she told reporters.