Sinha associate Sifat granted bail

Stamford University student Shahedul Islam Sifat, who was arrested following the killing of retired major Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan, was granted bail on Monday.

Cox’s Bazar senior judicial magistrate passed the order around 11:00am in a case filed with the Teknaf police station.

Senior advocate Mohammad Mostofa sought Sifat’s bail at the judicial magistrate court. Judge Tamanna Farah granted the bail after a hearing.

The court also granted the petition to appoint an investigating officer (IO) from Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the case filed by police.

Earlier, Shipra Debnath, who was arrested along with Sifat, was granted bail on Sunday afternoon.

Sifat and Shipra, both studying film and media studies at Stamford University, went to Cox’s Bazar with Sinha on 3 July, working on a documentary being made by Sinha.

While returning to Himchhari after filming at Marishbunia hill, Teknaf, Sinha was killed in police firing at Shamlapur, Cox’s Bazar on 31 July.

Police arrested Sifat and Shipra after the killing and filed two separate cases. In the case filed with Teknaf police station, police accused Sifat of obstructing government duty. He was in Cox’s Bazar prison since then.

Police filed another case against Shipra Debnath under the narcotics control act with Ramu police station. She was shown arrested on 1 August.

On 5 August, Sinha’s sister Sharmin Shariya filed a murder case with the same court against nine police members including Teknaf police station’s withdrawn officer in charge Pradeep Kumar Das, Baharchhora police post in-charge inspector Liaqat Ali, sub-inspector Nandalal Rakhsit.

On the following day, seven police men including Pradeep, Liaqat, Nandalal surrendered to the court.

The court, following a petition by RAB, also granted 7-day remand for Pradeep, Liaqat and Nandalal and issued orders to interrogate constable Safanur Karim, Kamal Hossain, Abdullah Al Mamun and SI Liton at the prison gate.

The other two accused, SI Tutul and Md. Mostofa did not appear at the court while police claimed district police does not have any members by these names.

The defendants are in prison while four of them have already been interrogated. OC Pradip along with another defendant are to be interrogated on Monday.

“We hope to submit the required documents and free Sifat today (Monday),” said Sifat’s uncle Masum Billah.