Criminal cases against 116 police members in Dhaka in 9 years

Allegations of serious criminal offences have arisen against many members of the law enforcement. As many as 116 lawsuits were filed against the police at different police stations and courts in Dhaka over the last nine years. They face different charges including narcotics, robbery, abduction, extortion and rape. A large number of them have been accused of involvement in narcotics.

Sources at Dhaka’s chief metropolitan magistrate court, chief judicial magistrate court, metropolitan court, session judge court, Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal confirmed the information.

Top police and legal officials said involvement of law enforcement members in criminal offences is a matter of serious concern. Punitive action through departmental measures must be taken against them, they said. Impartial investigation must be conducted in each case. Besides, tough administrative monitoring must continue to prevent them from committing crime in future.

Records show, of the 116 members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police facing criminal lawsuits, 19 are sub-inspectors, 17 are assistant sub-inspectors. Besides, 70 are constables, five are nayeks and one is a sergeant.

It was found that 28 out 116 police members are accused in narcotic cases. Besides, 9 police members face rape charges, 6 mugging charges, 18 domestic violence and woman oppression, 5 torture in police custody, 3 murder, 12 extortion, 4 abduction, 5 arms, 5 robbery, 5 theft, 6 fraudulence, one faces charges under the anti-terrorism act, one faces charges for death on the road and one faces attempt to murder charge. However, the details of cases filed against 6 police members could not be known.

Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Md Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo over phone, none will be spared if evidence of involvement in criminal offence is found against of any member of DMP. Previously, police members have faced criminal cases based on evidence and investigation and they will too in future.

Sources concerned at police and courts said, 27 police members were sued at the different police stations in Dhaka in 2020 on allegations of involvement in criminal offences. But the maximum number of police members faced cases in 2019 while 12 in 2018, 6 in 2017, 2 in 2016, 11 in 2015, 11 in 2014, 2 in 2013, 6 in 2012 and one in 2011.

Regarding the allegations, former inspector general of police, Muhammad Nurul Huda told Prothom Alo, departmental cases must be filed to ensure punishment against those have been involved in criminal offence. Besides, criminal cases must be filed to face them trial to ensure justice.

Allegations of drug dealing

Cases were filed against 28 police members with police stations under the Narcotic Control Act in the last nine years. Four of them are sub-inspectors, three assistant sub-inspectors and 21 constables. On 14 January this year, constable Shuyez Khan was arrested in possession of 15 bottles of phensidyl from Motijheel. Later, his associate constable Asaduzzaman was arrested. Both are now behind bars.

Documents show, narcotic cases were lodged against 11 members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police in 2019. On them, nine are constable and others are a sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector. Two constables were sued in 2018 under the Narcotic Control Act while one sub-inspector in 2017, two assistant sub-inspectors in 2016 and two constable faced narcotic lawsuit in 2014. Police had recovered heroin and Yaba pills from their possession.

Chief public prosecutor of Dhaka’s Metropolitan Session Judge Court Abdullah Abu told Prothom Alo, it is unfortunate that those responsible to curb crime themselves get involved in crimes like narcotics, rape, robbery and abduction. The prosecution will always make effort to ensure punishment for those involved in such crimes.

Allegation of women oppression and rape

In addition to narcotics, criminal cases have been lodged against 28 members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on allegations of family dispute, woman torture and rape. Of them, four are sub-inspector and 24 are constable. Records of case documents said, case were filed with the court against 15 police members on charge of dowry. Additionally, 10 were sued over rape, gang-rape and murder after raping.

A 12-year-old girl was gang-raped in the capital’s Kamrangichar on 18 October last year. Assistant sub-inspector Abdul Karim Chowdhury is now behind bars over the rape incident. Report of Kamrangichar police station said, Abdul Karim faces specific allegation in connection with the incident of gang-rapes.

Public prosecutor of Dhaka’s Women and Children Oppression Prevention Tribunal Mahmuda Akter told Prothom Alo, several lawsuits against police members over the allegation of rape and touring women for dowry are under trial at the special tribunal. Police getting involved in such crimes is very saddening.

Numerous allegations including torture

A Dhaka court jailed three police members for life on charges of torturing a person named Ishtiaq Hossain in Pallabi police station on 8 February 2014. The verdict was delivered on 9 September last year.

Court sources said, five police members were sued under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act.

Besides, criminal cases were registered against 27 police members on charges of robbery, mugging and extortion. Of them, 8 are sub-inspectors, 10 are constables, and two are nayeks. Records of the case documents show, these police personnel face allegations of carrying out kidnapping, mugging and robbing in guise of the police's Detective Branch and the Rapid Action Battalion.

Two people including assistant sub-inspector Shaheed Sheikh were arrested on allegations of carrying out a robbery in guise of Detective Branch men. They had been leading an organised crime ring to commit robbery and other criminal offences.

Chairman of the criminology department at the University of Dhaka, Khandaker Farzana Rahman, said more caution and transparency is essential to recruit police members.

Low punishment

Records of the nine years show, three out of 116 police members were sentenced to life in prison under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act. Another one received 10 years in jail in a robbery case. Five convicts in the robbery case were posted on Rapid-Action Battalion. While delivering the verdict on 14 September last year, the court observed, the government employees are the servant of people. The convicts turned into predators instated of becoming the protectors and committed heinous crime like robbery.

Besides, four police members were acquitted in four cases. Investigation in two cases has been put on hold. 81 cases are under trial. However, no records have been found in 25 cases.

In reference to police getting involved in crime, the state’s top legal official, attorney general AM Amim Uddin, told Prothom Alo, being the member of the law enforcement agencies those are involved in serious crimes like murder, rape, robbery and abduction will face stern punishment.