Mitu murder: Case filed against ex-SP Babul and 7 others

A case has been filed in Chattotragram against the former superintendent of police Babul Akter and seven others in connection with the sensational murder of Mahmuda Khanam Mitu in 2016.

Md Mosharrof Hossain, the father-in-law of ex-SP Babul, has filed the case with Panchlaish Police Station on Wednesday, Officer-in-Charge Abul Kashem Bhuiyan confirmed the matter to The Business Standard.

The case was filed around 12.45 pm after two PBI officials, on behalf of the investigating officer PBI Inspector (Metro) Santosh Kumar Chakma, submitted a final report to the city police's prosecution branch.

The seven other accused are Md Kamrul Islam Shikdar alias Musa (40), Ehteshamul Hoque (41), Md Motaleb Mia (27), Md Anwar Hossain (28), Md Khairul Islam (28), Md Saidul Islam Shikdar (45), and Shahjahan Mia (28).

The plaintiff in the case statement claimed that Babul got involved in an extramarital affair with an NGO worker named Gayatri Amar Singh while he was posed in Cox's Bazar as additional police super and this ensued a rift between the relationship of Mitu and Babul. Mitu informed her parents about the mental and physical torture she endured during the family feud after finding out about her husband's alleged affair.

Mosharrof Hossain also mentioned some of the conversations between Babul and Gayatri confirming their relationship which was collected by Mitu before her death.

The murder case gained momentum after the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) quizzed Babul Akter recently and claimed to have found evidence against the former SP in Mitu murder.

Earlier today, PBI Chief DIG Banaj Kumar Majumder said in a briefing, "Two friends of Babul Akter gave statement under Section 164. Police will submit the final report of a previous case filed over the murder based on their statement".

Banaj Kumar further said, "PBI called Babul last Thursday, but he said he would arrive at 9 am on Monday. He could not answer some the questions appropriately. The issues have been reported to the IGP and the home minister. In this situation, there is no chance to step back."

The police investigation found that one of the main accused in the case, Kamrul Sikder Musa, was an informant of Babul Akter. Later it was confirmed by Babul himself during an interrogation on 27 December 2017 at the CMP headquarters.

Regarding Musa's role in the killing, the PBI chief said, "Musa was seen on the spot. He used to visit Babul Akhtar's residence regularly. Even, he used to buy daily essentials for Babu Akter's family."

Police said earlier Musa hired Motaleb Mia Wasim, Anwar Hossain,  Nurul Islam Rashed, Nur Nabi, Kalu and Md Shahjahan to kill Mitu while Ehteshamul Haque supplied the firearms to be used in the killing. 

Mitu was shot and stabbed on the way to pick up her son from a school bus on OR Nizam Road in Chattogram on 5 June, 2016. Babul was in Dhaka at that time, and he later filed a murder case at the Panchlaish police station.

Police arrested Anwar and Wasim along with Abu Nasur Gunnu, Shah Zaman alias Robin, Saidul Alam Sikder alias Sakku and Shahjahan. Police also arrested alleged firearms supplier Ehteshamul Haque Bhola and his associate Md Monir.

On the night of 24 June, 2016, Babul was interrogated for about 15 hours at the Dhaka Detective Police Office. On 7 September the same year, the home ministry fired him.

The detective police had been investigating the case from the beginning. However, after nearly three years of investigation produced no results, the court ordered the PBI to investigate the case in January last year.