A friend of the two accused in the Rangpur quadruple murder case has given a statement before a court, providing investigators with additional information about the movements of the accused on the night of the killings.
Shimanto Chandra Das appeared before Rangpur Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Rafiqul Islam with his father on Tuesday night and gave his statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Detective Branch Inspector Jinnat Ali, the investigating officer, said Shimanto’s account was consistent with statements given by the two accused, particularly regarding their visit to his house after the murders.
“Shimanto appeared before the court with his father and gave his statement as a witness. The judge recorded it under Section 164,” Jinnat said.
According to Shimanto’s statement, the accused went to his house after the murders and consumed Yaba there on the night of the killings.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Mabud had earlier said at a press briefing on Sunday that the two accused went to Shimanto’s house and consumed Yaba on the night of the killings.
Asked whether the accused would undergo dope tests, Jinnat said police had already applied for the tests and that the process would begin on Wednesday.
The investigating officer also said questions surrounding inconsistencies in police statements and information about the killings would be addressed through the investigation.
“All the questions surrounding the killings will be addressed through a fair investigation. We will work to ensure justice in the case,” he said.
The case
A murder case was filed with Kotwali Police Station on Sunday by Gopinath Chakraborty, elder brother of deceased teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, against unidentified people.
The two accused — Mugdha Das, 23, son of Kanu Das, and Siddhartha Das, 19, son of Binoy Chandra Das — were arrested from the same area early Sunday.
They appeared before a court later that day and gave statements under Section 164 confessing to the killings. They were subsequently sent to jail.
Shimanto, son of Subhas Chandra Das of the Machuapara (Daspara) area in Rangpur city, works as a sales representative at a clothing shop in a local market.
Inspector (Investigation) Milon Chatterjee of Kotwali Police Station was initially assigned to investigate the case.
On Monday, the investigation was transferred from Kotwali police to the Detective Branch of Rangpur Metropolitan Police, and Inspector Jinnat Ali was appointed as the new investigating officer.
The killings
Ganapati Chakraborty, 65, a former accounting teacher at Rangpur Zilla School, and three members of his family were found dead at their home in Machuapara on Saturday night.
The other victims were Ganapati’s wife, Pritilata Chakraborty Bala, 50; their daughter, Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 25, a postgraduate student; and their 12-year-old son, Ayush Chakraborty Priyam, a fifth-grade student.
Police said all four were strangled to death.
Ganapati lived with his family on the upper floor of his two-storey house. The ground floor remains incomplete, and the family had been living on the upper floor for around two to three years.
After his retirement, Ganapati also practiced as a homeopathic physician.
Following the autopsies, the bodies were handed over to the family on Sunday afternoon.
Their last rites were later performed at the Dakkhigunj cremation ground in the city at around 10:30pm.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police Sanatan Chakraborty said Shimanto’s statement had provided additional information relevant to the case and that the investigation was continuing to establish the facts surrounding the killings.