A Chattogram court has ordered to register a case against nine people, including Chandgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Khairul Islam, in connection with the custodial death of Syed Mohammad Shahidullah, former deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Dr Begum Zebunnesa passed the order on Monday afternoon.
Also read: Ex-ACC official's death in custody: Two ASIs suspended
Earlier, Fauzia Anwar, wife of Shahidullah, filed a case against nine people over the death.
Apart from the OC, the other accused in the case are Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Chandgaon Police Station, Yusuf, ASI Sohel Rana, Inspector (Investigation) of the police station, Mominul Haque, a resident of Chandgaon police station area, ASM Asadujjaman, 52, Jasim Uddin, 37, Liton, 48, Roni Akter Tania, 26, and Kali Akter, 19.
Also read: Former ACC official in Ctg died in police custody, family says
Adv Rezaul Karim Chowdhury Reza, the plaintiff's lawyer, said that after the hearing, the court ordered the case at Chandgaon Police Station. The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) of Chattogram Metro unit has been ordered to investigate the case.
According to the FIR, Syed Mohammad Shahidullah retired as deputy director (DD) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2018. He lived in the One-kilometre area of Chandgaon Police Station in the city.
Also read: Death in police custody: 2 cops withdrawn in Gazipur
On August 29, a woman named Roni Akhter Tania filed a 'false' case against Syed Mohammad Shahidullah and his brother-in-law, Mohammad Kaiser Anwar, over a dispute with some locals over land there.
After hearing the case, the court judge took cognizance of the crime and issued summons against the two accused on the same day.
The summons was handed over to the court's bench assistant, Harun-Ur-Rashid, but the summons disappeared. As a result, the accused did not receive any summons to appear in court. The court then posted the matter for further hearings.
As the plaintiff did not appear on that date, his lawyer sought time. But on the same day, the court issued warrants against the two accused.
On October 3, police arrested retired ACC Deputy Director Syed Mohammad Shahidullah from his house. After his arrest, the former Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) official died in police custody after falling sick.