'Not my signature': Plaintiff denies filing Yaba case two and a half years later, court orders probe
Former RAB officer Md Firoz Ahmed told the judge that he was not the complainant, knew nothing about the case and that although his name appeared on the complaint, the signature was not his.
More than two and a half years after the pressing of charges in a narcotics case related to the recovery of 60,000 yaba tablets in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf, the listed plaintiff has made a startling statement in court, saying he did not file the case and that the signature on the complaint is not his.
Former RAB-15 officer Md Firoz Ahmed, named as the complainant in the case, gave the statement on 31 March in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (Second Court) Md Nazrul Islam.
Taking the matter into account, the judge ordered the deputy inspector general (DIG) of Chattogram Range to investigate the matter and uncover the truth behind the case.
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Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Md Abdur Rashid said the claim had caused widespread surprise in the courtroom.
According to case documents, on 7 September 2023, Rapid Action Battalion-15 conducted an operation in the Panchhari area of Subrang union in Teknaf and detained two individuals.
A total of 60,000 yaba pills and three mobile phones were reportedly seized.
The following day, then-RAB deputy assistant director Md Firoz Ahmed apparently filed a case at Teknaf Police Station under the Narcotics Control Act, naming the two individuals and one absconding suspect.
The case was formally recorded with signatures from the then officer-in-charge and OC (investigation).
After the investigation, Sub-Inspector Md Golam Haqqani pressed charges on 19 October 2023, naming five accused in total.
Trial proceedings began on 6 May last year after the framing of charges, and summons were issued for witnesses.
In response to the summons, Md Firoz Ahmed appeared in court on 31 March.
While testifying under oath, he told the judge that he was not the complainant, knew nothing about the case and that although his name appeared on the complaint, the signature was not his.
At the time, two accused – Md Abdullah and Md Ali – were present in court and said they did not recognise the complainant. Firoz also said he did not recognise the two accused.
He later submitted a handwritten affidavit reiterating his statement, and his sample signature was taken. Additional Public Prosecutor Tarek Aziz attested the affidavit.
In his order, the judge said failure to properly identify the complainant in such an important case was a serious flaw.
He stressed the need to investigate how the case had been filed, who had actually lodged the complaint, whether the signature had been forged and whether there had been irregularities in the probe.
The court said it must be examined whether the real offenders had escaped or innocent individuals had been implicated.
Firoz is currently serving as a subedar in the 9 BGB unit in Ruma, Bandarban.
