Another case filed against ex-OC Pradeep, 12 others over murder

A murder case has been filed against 12 police officials with the Cox’s Bazar Senior Judicial Magistrate Court, including the recently suspended OC of Teknaf police station, Pradeep Pradeep Kumar Das.

The case was filed around 2pm on Thursday by a woman called Sanowara Begum whose husband, Abdul Jalil, was killed in a reported gunfight last year.

According to the case statement, Inspector (DB) Manash Barua arrested the deceased Abdul Jalil on December 3, 2019, from Cox’s Bazar.

He was later taken to the Teknaf police station by Mashiur Rahman, in-charge of Howaikong police station. 

Also Read - FIR filed against ex-OC Pradeep, 22 others over murder

Following this, former Teknaf police station OC Pradeep demanded Tk10 lakh from Sanowara Begum, threatening that Jalil will be put under crossfire.

Sanowara, in order to save the life of her husband, sold her gold ornaments, and provided ex-OC Pradeep with Tk5 lakh as bribe. 

Eight months after that, on July 6, this year, Jalil was killed in a police crossfire.

Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, plaintiff lawyer Monirul Islam, said that the court, after hearing the matter, directed authorities concerned to look for any other case lodged with the Teknaf police station over the incident.

They have till September 10 to inform the court, he added.

Also Read - Another murder case filed against ex-OC Pradeep

The extrajudicial killings happening under the jurisdiction of Pradeep Kumar Das recently gained nationwide attention after Major (rtd) Sinha was shot dead at a police check-post on Marine Drive Road between Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf on the night of July 31.

On August 5, Sinha’s sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a case with the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Teknaf against nine policemen, including Pradeep and Liakat.

On August 6, seven of the accused surrendered in court, which sent them to jail after scrapping their bail pleas.

Pradeep Kumar Das, Inspector Liakat Ali, and Nanda Dulal were taken into RAB custody for questioning on August 18.