DHAKA: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted Tuesday charge sheet accusing 808 persons of possessing and using explosives and firearms during the mutiny at the Pilkhana headquarters of the border force.
Police Inspector SM Idris Ali on behalf of the investigation officer of the case, CID`s Special Superintendent Abdul Kahar Akand, submitted the 112-page charge sheet to the Metropolitan Magistrate`s Court in Dhaka under sections 3, 4 and 6 of the Explosives Act.
Inspector Idris told banglanews24.com.bd, “An appeal has been made in the charge sheet for that acquittal of 22 civilians, including former BNP MP Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu and Awami League leader Torab Ali, who were accused in the BDR murder case charge sheet.”
Besides, he said, six persons who were acquitted of the murder charge have been implicated in this case.
Idris Ali informed that at present 787 among the 808 accused are in jail. The investigation officers also pleaded for issuing arrest warrant against and confiscating property of the 21 fugitives.
The CID-indicted persons in the explosives case include DAD Towhid, DAD Habib, DAD Latif and DAD Jalil.
The charge sheet under the explosive act in the case filed with New Market Thana was submitted Tuesday after one year and five months of the Pilkhana massacre.
On February 25 and 26, 2009, a total of 73 people, including 56 army officers in command of the paramilitary border force under the then BDR director-general Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed, were killed in the bloody mutiny at the BDR headquarters in the city.
The case was filed with Lalbagh police station on March 4 on charge of killings, looting, arsons and other criminal acts. Later, the case was transferred to New Market police station and then to the CID for investigation.
The charge sheet in the case under explosive act recommends that the rest 1520 accused persons could be relieved of the charges as the investigation could not prove the charges against them.
A total of 1287 persons, including the victims’ family members, BDR members, chiefs of the three services, journalists, civilians, arms and cell-phone experts, ministers, MPs and physicians, were named as witnesses in this case.
A total of 2,328 persons were held, 2,282 taken on remand and 543 gave confessional statements before the magistrate.
Earlier on July 12, the CID indicted 824 paramilitaries and civilians on charge of killings during the mutiny.
Meanwhile, a big horde of 3,500 suspected mutineers from the headquarters and different garrisons across the country are already facing trial on charge of mutiny in 40 cases under the BDR Act.
BDST: 1947 HRS. JULY 27, 2010
