Major Sinha killing: OC Pradeep, 14 others charge-sheeted

OC Pradeep Kumar Das being taken to the Cox's Bazar courtProthom Alo

The killing of retired army major Sinha Md Rashed Khan was a planned incident, shows evidence the Rapid Action Battalion team collected from different sources.

Based on the evidence, RAB submitted a charge sheet against 15 people including suspended Teknaf police station officer-in-charge Pradeep Kumar Das on charges of shooting Sinha dead.

The charge sheet was submitted at the court of Cox’s Bazar senior judicial magistrate Tamanna Farah around 10:15am today, Sunday. The court has accepted the charge sheet.

After submitting the charge sheet, RAB senior assistant superintendent of police and investigation officer of the Sinha murder case, Md Khairul Islam told the newspersons that the three suits police lodged on allegation of attacking police and possessing drugs were not found to be true.

The charge sheet was submitted after investigating the lawsuit Sinha’s sister Sharmin Shahriya Ferdous filed, he added.

Suspended OC Pradeep Kumar Das, Baharchhara police outpost in-charge inspector Liaqat Ali and 13 others were made accused in the charge sheet. Among them, Teknaf police station assistant sub-inspector Sagar Dey is on the run. All other accused are in jail.

Retired army major Sinha Md Rashed Khan was shot to death by then in-charge at Baharchhara police outpost on Cox’s Bazar Marine Drive inspector Liakat Ali on the night of 31 July.

Police also detained Shahedul Islam alias Sifat who was with Sinha at the time of the killing. Later, a team of police detained two more members of Sinha’s documentary making team, Shipra Debnath and Tahsin Rifat Noor, from Nilima Resort in Cox’s Bazar where they were staying.

Though the law enforcement released Noor, they sent Shipra and Sifat to jail. The two were released on bail.

A total of four suits were lodged over the killing of Sinha. Immediately after the incident, police filed two cases with Teknaf police station and another with Ramu police station. Two of the cases were filed under narcotics act and another on allegation of attacking police.

The fourth suit was lodged by Sinha’s sister Sharmin Sharia Ferdous on 5 August against nine people including Pradeep Kumar Das and Liaqat Ali.

RAB was given charge of investigating all the four cases. A total of 14 people – 11 policemen and three locals – were arrested in those cases.

RAB said it submitted final report to the Cox’s Bazar court in three cases on Thursday.

RAB director (legal and media wing) lieutenant colonel Ashique Billah said the force would hold a media briefing today to reveal why Sinha killing was planned.