Dhaka University student Abdul Kader, who faced brutal torture in the hands of police personnel of Khilgaon police station, was released from custody, after obtaining bail, on Wednesday, in the remaining two cases filed by police on charges of possessing weapons and a robbery involvement. Earlier, on August 1, Kader had been granted bail in another case filed with Mohammadpur police station, on charges of car theft.
Assistant jailor of Dhaka Central Jail, Abu Musa, said that Kader was released from custody around 6:00pm on Wednesday. Kader had been undergoing treatment at the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital, and now his family can admit him to a hospital for medical attention, the jail official added.
Judge Md Zohurul Haque of metropolitan sessions judge’s court, on Wednesday, granted bail to Kader, when defence lawyer Abdul Matin Khasru submitted two separate bail petitions in connection with the cases filed with Khilgaon Police Station.
He was not produced before the court during the bail hearing on Wednesday, due to inflicted injuries and illness.
The lawyer told the court that Kader had been framed in the case and that he went through inhuman torture in the police custody. He added that though the police had attributed the injury marks on Kader to mob beating, they were unmistakably the marks of brutal police torture.
“Had the injury marks been signs of mob beating, they would been all over his body. However, only signs of injuries caused by sharp weapons could be seen on Kader,” Khasru added. He also said that police had, shamelessly, sought remand in the case, filed with Mohammadpur police station, adding that the policemen responsible for torturing Kader should be kept in detention, instead.
Opposing the bail petition, assistant commissioner (prosecution) Aminur Rahman said, “Both cases – one for a robbery attempt and the other for illegal possession of arms – are still being investigated. Thus, Kader shouldn’t be granted bail.”
At this stage, the judge asked whether the accused received injuries while in police custody. Aminur Rahman replied that the incident was also under investigation and action would be taken against the policemen concerned, if found guilty.
However, additional public prosecutor advocate Shah Alam Talukder did not oppose the bail. After hearing, the judge granted bail to Kader.
On July 16, Kader was picked up by the Khilgaon police from Segunbagicha area in the capital, on his way back to DU dormitory, from his cousin’s house, around 1:30am. But, the Khilgaon police claimed that Kader and one of his accomplices, Mamun, were arrested near the Khilgaon police outpost on July 16, around
3:30 am.
After his arrest, Kader was implicated in three cases – two with Khilgaon police station and the other with Mohammadpur police station.
He was severely tortured in the custody of Khilgaon police and later sent to Dhaka Central Jail.
On hearing the news, DU students formed human chains and organised protest rallies in the campus.
After different media outlets highlighted the incident, a High Court bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore, on Thursday, summoned the officers-in-charge of two police stations and also asked them to produce the victim before the court.
After hearing, the court directed the concerned authorities to provide proper medical treatment to Kader, at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital. Immediately after the court order, Kader was admitted to the hospital on Thursday night.
The court also directed the inspector-general of police (IGP) to suspend three officials of Khilgaon police station, including its officer-in-charge (OC) Helal Uddin, for their alleged involvement in torturing Kader.
In accordance with the court’s order, DMP suspended sub-inspector Alam Badshah and assistant sub-inspector Shahidur Rahman on Friday. Helal Uddin was suspended on Saturday.
In line with the HC directive, DMP has formed a four-member committee, headed by additional commissioner Abdul Jalil, to probe the incident. The committee members recorded Kader’s statement on Sunday, and also talked to a number of people regarding the incident.
-With The Independent input
