The probe committee, which was formed following the rape of two private university students at a Banani hotel, has found negligence in duty in tackling the situation by the Banani Police Station OC.
Farman Ali, Officer-in-Charge of the Police Station, harassed the victims taking a long time before filing the case as the victims were compelled to stay at the station for several hours. And this was done by the OC receiving “financial benefit” from the accused persons. Not only that, the investigators also found proof about the police’s rude behaviour with the victims
Chief of the Probe Committee DMP’s Additional Commissioner (Operation and Crime) Mizanur Rahman was scheduled to submit the report to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner on Sunday. But it was not submitted till filing of this report at 8:00pm yesterday.
Two other members of the probe body are DMP’s Joint Commissioner (Crime) Krishnapada Roy and Joint Commissioner (DB) Abdul Baten.
DB Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Nazmul Alam, Deputy Commissioner (Women Support and Investigation) Farida Yasmin and Deputy Commissioner Mushtaq Ahmed are also assisting the investigation.
Mizanur Rahman said the investigators have interrogated Farman Ali for several times. The OC answered the queries in writing and verbally. It was alleged that the OC did not file the case on May 4 and 5 despite repeated attempts by the victims.
The probe mainly focused on allegations against Banani Police Station officials of delaying the record of the case, whether police took advantage of the rape suspects, police’s roles in arresting the accused and how they behaved with the victims.
The OC was compelled to receive the complaint when Additional Deputy Commissioner of Gulshan Zone Abdul Ahad went to Banani Police Station at 9:00pm on May 6 and asked Forman Ali why he had been refusing to file the case for three days.
The probe committee has got proof that the Banani OC agreed to file the case at 10:00pm (May 6) at the directives of DMP’s Additional DC Gulshan Zone. The OC was sent to ‘forced leave’ at the directives of higher authorities soon after the incident.
“We’ve taken interviews of several persons relating to the incident. Now we are analysing their statements from different angles. If anyone’s negligence is proved, stern action will be taken against him,” Mizanur Rahman said.
“We’ve found evidence of negligence by Banani police,” he said without giving more details.
The case over the alleged rape at Banani’s Raintree Hotel on Mar 28 was filed on May 6.
The victims alleged they could not file the case earlier because of threats from the accused. Police also delayed the recording of the case for two days. Banani OC Forman Ali allegedly received Tk 25 lakh bribes from the suspects.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal recently said firm action would be taken against the OC if the allegations are proved against him.
The accused are Shafat Ahmed, his friends Nayeem Ashraf and Shadman Sakif, and Shafat’s driver Billal Hossain and bodyguard Rahmat Ali. The plaintiff said in the case that Shafat and Nayeem raped her and her friend at gunpoint while the three others abetted the sexual assault and filmed it.
All the five accused are behind the bar now. Of them, Shafat is the son of Dildar Ahmed, an owner of Apan Jewellers. Shadman’s father Mohammad Hossain Jony is the Managing Director of Regnum Group, according to the police.
Our Court Correspondent adds: A Dhaka court on Sunday allowed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to carry out the forensic test on five mobile phone sets seized from the five accused in the Banani rape.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Delwar gave the permission to CID for conducting the forensic test.
Earlier, on Saturday, Ismat Ara Amy, Inspector of Victim Support Centre and also the investigation officer of the case, filed a petition before the court.
The court also allowed police to conduct a DNA test of Nayeem Ashraf, an accused in the case.
