Officials from Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested the main associate of Delowar, a prime accused in the rape and torture of a housewife in Noakhali, from Daudkandi area of Comilla.
The arrestee, identified as Kalam, was nabbed in the early hours of Wednesday from Comilla, confirmed Lt Col Khandaker Saiful Alam, commander of RAB-11.
“Kalam is one of the prime accused in the case. He was not only present, he actively participated in torturing the woman that day,” said the officer.
“He will soon be handed over to Begumganj police station.” he added.
During primary interrogation, Kalam said it was Delowar’s plan to enter the housewife’s home to rape her and spread the video of the incident on social media, the RAB official said.
Moreover, Begumganj Cognizance Court 3 on Wednesday palced three more people on remand in connection with the rape and torture, confirmed the case investigation Officer Inspector Mostak Ahmed.
The fifth accused in the case, Shaju, was remanded for altogether six days under the Pornography Control Act ans Women and Child Repression Prevention Act .
Whereas, Delowar's associate Md Shohag and Nur Hossain Rasel was remanded for two days each under the Pornography Control Act.
Till now, nine people, including five out of nine accused in the case, have been arrested in two cases filed for raping a housewife in Noakhali after stripping her naked and making a video of the incident.
Earlier on Monday, a Narayanganj court placed Nur Hossain Badal, the prime accused in the two cases, and Md Delowar Hossain, on a 2-day remand for the possession of arms.
On the same day, police arrested Moazzem Hossain, 48, a ward 9 councillor under Eklaspur union from Begumganj, while Raju, 21, son of Lokman of East Eklaspur under Begumganj was arrested from Dhaka.
Meanwhile, Noakhali Chief Judicial Magistrate Masfikul Haque placed another two accused in the two cases, Abdur Rahim, 20, and Rahmat Ullah, 41, on a six-day remand.
The rape survivor filed the cases against nine persons with Begumganj Model police station on Sunday night.
The incident occurred in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila in Joykrishnapur village of Eklaspur union on September 2.
The video footage of five men raping the woman went viral on social media platforms on Sunday and raised concerns among netizens.
According to the statement, the perpetrators entered the home of the victim and beat up her husband on the night of the incident. They took him to an adjacent room and tied him up.
They raped the 35-year-old woman, stripping her naked and filming the incident on their mobile.
At one point, locals gathered around the house hearing the victim's cries for help. The accused then threatened to kill her if she spoke about the incident, and left.
The victim, fearing for her life, fled her house and has been living elsewhere since then.
The perpetrators, however, contacted her over the phone and threatened to release the recorded video of the incident on social media if she did not go back to her house and agree to their demands.
At one point on Sunday afternoon, the recorded video was released on social media.
Two cases were then filed over raping the housewife, stripping her naked and filming the video of the incident in Begumganj upazila.
The court's General Recording Officer (GRO) Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Md Sohel Rana said the two accused were remanded under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Communication Technology (ICT) Act.
