Two of the accused in the sensational 10-truck arms haul cases told a Chittagong court on Thursday that they were forced to give false confessional statements after being tortured during interrogation.
Former director general of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) Brig Gen (retired) Abdur Rahim and former deputy director Maj (retired) Liakat Hossain made the claim before Judge of Special Tribunal 1 SM Mujibur Rahman while they were making their depositions before the court under section 342 of the penal code.
After the defendants’ depositions, the court adjourned proceedings till November 7.
Abdur Rahim complained that he was tortured several times during his remand and threatened with murder when he was in the custody of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
“During remand, they tortured me in different ways and threatened that they would implicate me in the August 21 bomb attack case if I did not give a confessional statement under section 164 according to their instruction,” he said.
He said: “I did not know what section 164 was. I signed a paper according to the instructions of police. However, they also charged me for the August 21 case.
“I was charged in the cases intentionally,” he claimed.
Liakat complained to the court that he was threatened with death if he did not give a confessional statement under section 164.
He claimed he was tortured in a Taskforce for Interrogation cell in the name of interrogation.
“I was also taken to the Rab headquarters where the investigation officer attempted to record a 164 forcibly. At one stage, some Rab officials made death threats,” he said.
“I was asked to give a statement against Rezzakul and Rahim according to the instruction of the CID. They implicated me in the cases because I refused their request,” Liakat said before the court.
During the hearing, 10 of the accused, including former home minister Lutfuzzaman Babar, were produced before the court.
Former industries minister Matiur Rahman Nizami was not produced before the court as he is in Dhaka under trial at the International Crimes Tribunal.
A total of 37 of the accused have thus far claimed that they were forced to give false statements.
On April 2, 2004, around 1,500 wooden boxes containing submachine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, sub-machine carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets were seized from two vessels at the CUFL jetty in Chittagong.
Two cases were filed the next day with Karnaphuli police station under the Special Powers Act and Arms Act for the smuggling and seizure of arms.
The trial for the cases got underway on November 29, 2011.
