The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will soon take former Teknaf police OC Pradeep Kumar Das and two others into custody for remand over the killing of retired Bangladesh Army Major Sinha Md Rashed Khan.
Lt Col Ashik Billah, director RAB’s legal and media wing, made the remark during a press conference at the Jaltaranga Resort in Cox's Bazar, at around 8:30pm on Monday.
He said: “The 29 items seized over the incident, including the computers of Shipra and Sifat -- the two main witnesses of the incident -- are kept in Cox's Bazar’s Ramu police station. RAB will take custody of those through the court, because the computers are very important for the investigation.
The investigating officer (IO) of the case has already interrogated four police officials and three of their witnesses in remand, he said.
Also Read- Sinha killing: Probe panel interrogates Inspector Liakat, SI Nanda Dulal
“We have received important information from them. RAB is investigating this case with the utmost skill and professionalism. The whole matter will come into light after the investigation is finished,” the RAB official added.
Earlier on Monday, RAB Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun went to Cox’s Bazar and spoke with the witnesses of the incident.
“I cannot comment on it for the sake of the investigation,” he said, reiterating that there was “no misunderstanding between the two forces” over the killing of Sinha.
“In an effort to ensure a proper probe, the investigating officer has been changed,” the RAB chief said.
On the same day, an inquiry panel of the Ministry of Home Affairs interrogated Inspector Liakat Ali, former in-charge of Baharchhara investigation centre, and Sub-Inspector Nanda Dulal Rakkhit at Cox’s Bazar Central Jail.
“[Former] OC Pradeep Kumar Das will be questioned on Tuesday,” Chittagong’s Additional Divisional Commissioner Mizanur Rahman, who heads the four-strong panel, told Dhaka Tribune.
Also Read- Sinha murder: Probe body to file report on Aug 23
“We have already interrogated four other policemen [accused in the case by Sinha’s family] and three witnesses [in the case initiated by Teknaf police after the killing],” he added.
On Sunday, the probe panel held a public hearing, when it heard the testimonies of nine witnesses.
Following the hearing at Shamlapur in Teknaf’s Baharchhara Union, near the crime scene, probe panel chief Rahman said their investigation was at its final stage.
“We hope to file our findings on August 23,” he said while speaking to the media.
On the night of July 31, Major Sinha was shot dead at a police checkpoint on Marine Drive Road between Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf.
Also Read- ASP Khairul new investigating officer in Sinha murder case
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.
Soon after the court’s order, RAB, which is in charge of the probe, moved a petition for taking the suspects into custody. The court remanded Pradeep, Liakat, and Nanda Dulal for seven days and gave investigators two days to interrogate the four other suspects.
The court later issued arrest warrants for the two fugitive suspects named in the case.
RAB has already started interrogating seven suspects, including four policemen.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Liton Miah, and Constables Safanur Karim, Kamal Hossain, and Abdullah Al Mamun, are in RAB custody.
The elite police unit is also questioning three witnesses in the case started by police.
