The key accused in the murder case of Chittagong court lawyer Saiful Islam Alif has given a confessional statement in court, the Chittagong Metropolitan Police has said.
Chandan Das, 35, the prime accused confessed to attacking the lawyer with a dagger in a statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the court of Chittagong’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam on Sunday, said CMP Assistant Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman.
He said: “Following interrogation during remand and under court directives, Chandan Das confessed his involvement in the murder. In his statement, he detailed the entire incident of the lawyer’s killing.”
Mahfuzur added: “Chandan admitted to personally attacking the lawyer with a dagger. He also said that another accused, Ripon, struck the lawyer on the neck twice. Chandan provided the names of 12 accomplices who participated in the attack and assault but mentioned he could not recall others’ names at that moment.”
Police earlier said Chandan Das was identified through video footage from the day of the incident on the Chittagong court premises.
The footage showed him wearing an orange T-shirt and black pants, attacking Saiful while wearing a helmet he had taken from a parked motorcycle.
Chandan was arrested on Wednesday at midnight by a team from Bhairab police station at the railway station in Kishoreganj.
On Friday, police sought a 10-day remand for interrogation, but the court granted a seven-day remand.
On November 26, Chittagong’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam ordered that Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Sanatani Jagaran Jote and a former Iskcon leader, be sent to jail, rejecting his bail plea in a sedition case.
Following the order, his followers staged protests surrounding the prison van on the court premises, leading to clashes with the police.
Amid this chaos, lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death.
Police identified several attackers using video footage.
Six cases, including one for murder, were filed regarding these incidents, with three cases initiated by the police.
Saiful Islam’s father, Jamal Uddin, filed the murder case at Kotwali police station, naming 31 individuals and 10-15 unidentified persons as accused.
Chandan Das was listed as the key accused in the case.
Police have since arrested 11 individuals in connection with the case.