BANGLADESH

Dhaka University student Abdul Kadar has sued former officer-in-charge of Khilgaon Police Station Helal Uddin for torturing him in custody and framing him after his arrest last year.

Kadar, a student of biochemistry and molecular biology, filed the case on Monday afternoon, Khilgaon OC Sirajul Islam Sheikh told .

According to case details, plainclothes police personnel arrested him in the early hours of July 15 last year while he was returning to Fazlul Haque Hall of Dhaka University from one of his relatives' residence at Eskaton in the city.

Kadar in his case alleged that he was severely tortured in police custody.

KADAR CLEARED OF CARJACKING

Earlier in the day, Dhaka metropolitan magistrate M A Salam cleared Kadar in the carjacking case following an appeal submitted by the Detective Branch (DB) of police.

DB police inspector Abdur Noor, also investigation officer of the case, submitted the final probe report to the court on Jan 19 excluding Kadar's name.

The report says the charges brought against Kadar were found "false and fabricated".

Controversy and confusion swirled over the police version of Kadar's arrest as they said they held him at Khilgaon on July 15 when he was about to commit robbery.

Khilgaon police lodged two cases, accusing him of robbery and possessing sharp weapons.

The carjacking case in which Kadar was implicated was filed with Mohammadpur police on July 14, a day before his arrest.

Mirash Uddin, the duty police officer at Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, told reporters that though Kadar was shown arrested in the carjacking case his name was not mentioned in the case details.

Police faced massive criticism when the Dhaka University students launched protest movements demanding Kadar's release claiming that he was arrested on false charges.

The High Court on July 28 ordered suspension of three police officers – OC Helal Uddin, a sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector – as they reportedly tortured Kadar.

The court also issued order asking authorities concerned to launch an investigation into the allegation and the police chief to carry out a departmental enquiry and submit their findings in four weeks.

The Dhaka court on Monday fixed Jan 26 to pass its judgment on the probe report submitted by DB inspector Mohammad Shahjahan in connection with a robbery case.