OC Pradeep ordered Liaqat to shoot Sinha dead, says victim's sister
Following instructions of Teknaf thana suspended officer-in-charge Pradeep Kumar Das, inspector Liaqat shot Sinha Md Rashed to death, said plaintiff and victim's sister Sharmin Sharia Ferdous in her testimony.
The plaintiff's testimony in the sensational murder case was recorded at Cox's Bazar district and sessions judge court on Monday noon.
In the court, Sharmin demanded the highest punishment of 15 accused claiming the murder preplanned.
On the first day of recording statements of the witnesses in the retired major Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan murder case trial, the defence lawyers allegedly tried to delay the proceedings at a Cox’s Bazar court, reports UNB.
Defendant’s lawyer Rana Dash Gupta submitted 11 petitions praying to suspend the case but the court didn’t accept them, said plaintiffs’ lawyer Mohammad Jahangir and public prosecutor Faridul Alam to media.
Thirteen lawyers presenting the defendant’s side cross-questioned the testimony of the witness today.
On Tuesday, Sharmin will be questioned by the lawyers of main accused suspended OC Pradeep and suspended Inspector Liaqat Ali.
At 5pm the court was adjourned till Monday and said other witnesses will start testifying on 24 and 25 August following the plaintiff.
Until 25 August, statements of 15 of the 83 witnesses in this case including the plaintiff will be testified before the court.
On 27 June, Cox’s Bazar district and session judge Mohammad Ismail Hossain took charge of the case and declared the date for recording statements of 10 witnesses on 26, 27 and 28 July, said public prosecutor Faridul Alam.
But the date was postponed later due to government imposed lockdown to contain the Covid-19 spread, he said.
On 31 July last year, Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur police check-post in Baharchhara Union of Cox's Bazar while returning to town after filming for a documentary.
On 5 August, Sinha's sister Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous filed a case with Teknaf senior judicial magistrate court accusing nine members of law enforcement agencies of being involved in the killing, including Pradeep Kumar Das and Baharchhara police outpost inspector Liaqat Ali. On 13 December 2020, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) submitted a charge sheet against 15 people, including police source Ayaz and three APBn members, in connection with the case filed over Sinha's murder at a checkpost manned by APBn, where officers of the Teknaf police station intercepted Sinha's car.
All of the 15 accused of the charge sheet are currently in jail. Of them 12 have given confessional statement before court except OC Pradeep Kumar Das, constable Sagar Dev and Rubel Sharma.
Other accused of the case are- Inspector of Baharchara Police outpost Liakat Ali, sub-inspectors Nandolal Rakkhit and Tutul, assistant sub-inspector Liton Mia; constables Shafanur Karim, Kamal Hossain, Abdullah AL Mamun, , Md Rajib and Md Abdullah, ASI of APBN Md Shahjahan and Nurul Amin, Md Nizamuddin and Ayaz Uddin.