Tahsif murder case: ‘Younger friend’ Dwip placed on 4-day remand

A court has placed Ahmed Shahriar Reza Dwip, 23, described as the “younger friend” of former air force officer KM Tahsif Souri, on a four-day remand for interrogation in a murder case filed over the recovery of Tahsif's body.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullah Pias passed the order after a hearing on Saturday afternoon, following an application by the investigating officer, Inspector Firoz Uddin of the Tongi River Police outpost.

Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam of the prosecution division confirmed the development to Prothom Alo. Dwip was brought before the court at around 2:15 pm. The investigating officer had sought a seven-day remand for the sake of a proper investigation.

According to the remand application, KM Tahsif Souri, a former air force officer, lived in an apartment in Uttara Sector 18 under Turag police station. At around 6:00 pm on 27 October, Dwip allegedly called him out and took him away. Tahshif had been missing since then.

The following day, at around 4:30 pm, police received information through the national emergency service 999 that an unidentified body was floating in the Turag River near Rajbari Ghat under Uttarkhan police station. Police recovered the body and, while conducting the inquest, identified the deceased through an iPhone found in the pocket of his trousers.

The remand application stated that Dwip had taken Tahsif to the Mazar Basti area under Tongi West police station on the day of the incident. The preliminary investigation had found clear evidence of Dwip's direct involvement in the killing, it added.

The investigating officer argued that Dwip's interrogation in custody was essential for the investigation and to prevent him from obstructing the process by securing bail.

The officer said the remand was necessary to uncover the motive behind the killing, identify and arrest other unidentified suspects, recover evidence related to the murder, and find Tahsif's personal motorcycle. Investigators also need to establish the exact location where the killing took place, according to the application.

During the hearing, Dwip was brought into the courtroom. Additional Public Prosecutor Azizul Haque Didar argued in favour of the remand on behalf of the state. Dwip's lawyers, Monirul Islam and Mutasim Billah, opposed the application and sought its rejection.

The defence lawyers told the court that Dwip and the deceased had known each other for six years. Dwip had already been in police custody for two days, they said. They added that if further interrogation was necessary to solve the case, it should be conducted with caution, arguing that Dwip had already been subjected to a media trial.

The court subsequently granted a four-day remand.

In an earlier interrogation, Dwip reportedly told investigators that Tahsif had jumped into the river while being chased by some people, and that he had fled the scene.

Tahsif's father, KM Eneyetul Karim, filed the murder case against unidentified persons at Uttarkhan police station in Dhaka at around 1:00 am on Friday. Police subsequently showed Dwip as a suspect in the case.