‘Hope for Sinha murder justice very low if Cox’s Bazar SP not accused’

Sharmin Shahria Ferdous, sister of slain Major (retd) Sinha Md Rashed Khan, has claimed that the hope of getting justice is very low if Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police ABM Masud Hossain is not made an accused in the sensational murder case.

Following the claim, Sharmin, also the plaintiff of the Sinha murder case, on Thursday appealed to a Cox's Bazar court to include the SP into the list of accused.    

But Judicial Magistrate Tamanna Farha rejected the petition hours after it had been filed.

In its observation, the court said the investigating officer can take action against anyone who is trying to intervene in the investigation.

Earlier at a press briefing, plaintiff's lawyer Md Mostafa said, "Masud has been obstructing the investigation into the Sinha murder case.

"Masud has even written to the Cox's Bazar Jail authorities to provide main accused OC Pradeep Kumar Das and Inspector Liakat with a division facility in prison." 

SP ABM Masud Hossain is using his official power in favour of the accused, alleged the lawyer.

On July 3, Sinha went to Cox's Bazar to film a travel video. He was shot dead by police at Shamlapur check post in Himchhari area of Cox's Bazar on Marine Drive on the night of July 31 on his way back to Nilima Resort.

On August 5, Sinha's sister filed the murder case at Cox's Bazar Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court, accusing nine policemen, including the then officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf police station Pradeep and inspector Liakat Ali. All of them have been suspended.

A leaked phone conversation between Cox's Bazar SP Masud and OC Pradeep went viral on social media on August 7.

In the conversation, Pradeep informed Masud that he had told Liakat to shoot Sinha on July 31.

Home ministry probe finds SP's negligence and misconduct

The high-level probe body formed by the home ministry on Monday submitted its investigation report on the incident.

It found that SP Masud Hossain had tried to divert the killing incident to another direction.

"Masud Hossain was also aware of plotting a yaba and marijuana drama after shooting Sinha at the check post. As the head of a district police, he cannot avoid the responsibility of such disgraceful acts by the law enforcement agency even after shooting a retired army man dead," reads the probe report.

"His role after the incident was not professional and he also had tried to save the accused even after the brutal incident."

Writ seeks ban on revealing probe information

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking its directives to prevent the parties concerned from disclosing information related to the Major Sinha murder and its investigation to the media.

Deb Dulal Rakshit, brother of suspended Sub-Inspector Nanda Dulal Rakshit, filed the writ petition last week.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Mahmud Hasan Talukder held a hearing on the writ petition on Tuesday and fixed Sunday for further hearing on the matter.

The writ also sought directives not to present the accused in front of the media until the investigation ends.

Four persons, including the home secretary and the information secretary have been made respondents in the writ petition.