Ex-SP Farooqui, ex-ASP Alep sent to jail in July uprising murder case

A Dhaka court today (22 November) sent former superintendent of police (SP) of Betbunia Police Special Training Centre Mohiuddin Farooqui and former additional superintendent of police (ASP) of Barishal Range Alep Uddin to jail in a case lodged over the murder of Zobayer Omar Khan in capital's Jatrabari area during the student-led July-August mass uprising.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Begum Afnan Somi passed the order as police produced the duo before the court after end of their two-day remand in the case and pleaded to keep them behind the bars till the end of the probe.

SP Farooqui, who was working as deputy commandant at Betbunia Police Special Training Centre, was placed on a two-day remand on 13 November. ASP Alep Uddin was arrested from Barisal on November 13 and was placed on a two-day remand the next day.

According to the case documents, Zobayer Omar Khan on information of Hasina's escape to India tried to join victory rally in Shahbagh at noon on 5 August. As he along with many others, reached Shanir Akhra area, police pounced on them, firing live bullets, tear shells and sound grenades. Many people, including Zobayer got injured in the attack.

As people rushed him to Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital, the attending doctors declared him dead.

Zobayer's brother Zabed Imran Khan filed the case with Jatrabari Police Station on 22 August against 127, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.