A Dhaka court has granted a three-day remand for Sibun Dew and Sanjay Chisim, arrested on allegations of aiding the main accused, Faisal Karim Masud, in escaping in the case concerning the attempted murder of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
On Thursday, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam granted the three-day remand following a police petition seeking a seven-day remand.
On the day, Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued in favour of the remand at the state’s behest. No lawyer was present for the defence. During the hearing, however, Sibun Dew told the court that he knows a person named Philip and spoke with him recently.
Informing the court that he called Philip after the latter’s name surfaced in the media, Sibun said, “I called Philip and told him his name was coming up in the attempted murder case. Philip then admitted that he helped two people cross the border.”
The other accused, Sanjay Chisim, told the court, “I have spoken with Philip, but I do not know anything about the incident. On the night of the incident, Philip called me and asked me to stand by the road. Later, he called again to say the job was done and told me to leave.”
Regarding this, Public Prosecutor of the CMM court, Omar Faruq Faruqi, said these two accused are close associates of Philip. It is alleged that Philip helped the shooter, Faisal, to flee the country.
He also stated that Sibun Dew is the nephew of former Awami League MP Jewel Areng.
The prosecutor said the involvement of the accused has been preliminarily proven. They themselves told the court that Philip helped two people escape and that one was stationed in the border area on Philip’s instructions. Therefore, it is necessary to take them into custody for interrogation.
Earlier on Wednesday, they were arrested from the Haluaghat and Dhobaura areas of Mymensingh.
On 12 December, Sharif Osman Hadi was shot in the Box Culvert Road area under Paltan Model Police Station. He was critically injured. He is the spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha and a prospective independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency.
Later, reviewing CCTV footage from the surrounding areas, it was seen that Sharif Osman Hadi and an associate were travelling in a battery-powered autorickshaw. At that time, two unidentified persons on a motorcycle shot at Hadi with the intent to kill. He was critically injured by the gunfire.
By analysing the CCTV footage, police have identified Faisal Karim Masud as the attacker and Almagir Sheikh as the motorcycle driver.
In connection with the incident, Inqilab Mancha Member Secretary Javed filed an attempted murder case at Paltan Model Police Station last Sunday.
So far, a total of nine people have been arrested in the case. Among them, Faisal’s father, Md Humayun Kabir, and mother, Mosammat Hasi Begum, have given confessional statements in court.
The other accused are – rent-a-car businessman Md Nuruzzaman Nomany alias Ujjal; Faisal’s associate Md Kabir; wife Shaheda Parvin Samia; girlfriend Maria Akter Lima; and brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Sipu. They are all currently on remand.
