2 Banani ‘rapists’ remanded

A Dhaka court yesterday remanded Shafat Ahmed, the main accused in the rape of two private university students at a four-star hotel in Banani, and Sadman Aqif, another accused in the case, for six days and five days in police custody respectively. Metropolitan magistrate Raihanul Islam remanded the duo after the police produced them before the court. The police had sought 10 days' custody for them, saying that initial investigations have found that the girls were raped. Shafat and Sadman were arrested on Thursday night in Sylhet and brought to Dhaka early yesterday. A special team from the police headquarters nabbed them from a Pathantula house of an expatriate in Sylhet city amid rising pressure from different civic groups, who had given the law enforcers an ultimatum of 72 hours to arrest the perpetrators at a Shahbagh rally on Wednesday. The two students were raped after they were lured to Hotel Rain Tree in Banani to attend the birthday party of Shafat, son of one of the owners of Amin Jewellers, on March 28.
The police used high-tech tracking technology to nab the two accused, although the duo had turned off their mobile phones. But the law enforcers tracked Shafat's uncle's phone and eventually came to know about their whereabouts. Joint Commissioner Krishna Pad Ray yesterday said that after primary interrogation they found evidence of the involvement Shafat Ahmed and Shadman Sakif, the two accused in the rape case, in the incident. Talking to reporters at DMP media centre, he hoped that more information would be revealed after interrogating them under police remand.
Earlier, some news reports had mentioned that both Shafat and Sadman were sighted in Sylhet, sources said. Though the main accused and his cohort was taken into custody, three others—Naeem Ashraf, alias Halim, Abul Kalam Azad, bodyguard of Shafat, and Billal, Shafat's driver—have remained at large. They have been accused of confining the students in two hotel rooms and filming the rape.
The girls alleged that Shafat's bodyguard had threatened them not to report the incident or the video would be uploaded on social networking sites. He also threatened to kill them if they reveal the incident to anyone.
Eventually the victims mustered enough courage to report the incident to Banani police station on May 6. But the police showed reluctance to file the case and even harassed the students. However, the case was eventually filed on May 8, after the whole incident came to light thanks to media.
Follwoing this, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) publicly accused the police of dillydallying with taking the case. Its claim was, however, dismissed by home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who said the accused would be brought to justice regardless of their wealth and influence.
Meanwhile, two separate committees were formed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to look into the allegation of police negligence and to ensure proper investigation of the case, the city police said at a press briefing yesterday. In another development, the customs intelligence has requested the Bangladesh Bank to scan the bank accounts of Dildar Ahmed, father of Shafat, to check how he has been dealing in gold trade as there has been no import of the glittering metal in recent times. Meanwhile, two separate committees were formed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to look into the allegation of police negligence and to ensure proper investigation of the case, the city police said at a press briefing yesterday. In another development, the customs intelligence has requested the Bangladesh Bank to scan the bank accounts of Dildar Ahmed, father of Shafat, to check how he has been dealing in gold trade as there has been no import of the glittering metal in recent times.

 

2 Banani rapists remanded

A Dhaka court yesterday remanded Shafat Ahmed, the main accused in the rape of two private university students at a four-star hotel in Banani, and Sadman Aqif, another accused in the case, for six days and five days in police custody respectively. Metropolitan magistrate Raihanul Islam remanded the duo after the police produced them before the court. The police had sought 10 days custody for them, saying that initial investigations have found that the girls were raped. Shafat and Sadman were arrested on Thursday night in Sylhet and brought to Dhaka early yesterday. A special team from the police headquarters nabbed them from a Pathantula house of an expatriate in Sylhet city amid rising pressure from different civic groups, who had given the law enforcers an ultimatum of 72 hours to arrest the perpetrators at a Shahbagh rally on Wednesday. The two students were raped after they were lured to Hotel Rain Tree in Banani to attend the birthday party of Shafat, son of one of the owners of Amin Jewellers, on March 28. The police used high-tech tracking technology to nab the two accused, although the duo had turned off their mobile phones. But the law enforcers tracked Shafats uncles phone and eventually came to know about their whereabouts. Joint Commissioner Krishna Pad Ray yesterday said that after primary interrogation they found evidence of the involvement Shafat Ahmed and Shadman Sakif, the two accused in the rape case, in the incident. Talking to reporters at DMP media centre, he hoped that more information would be revealed after interrogating them under police remand. Earlier, some news reports had mentioned that both Shafat and Sadman were sighted in Sylhet, sources said. Though the main accused and his cohort was taken into custody, three othersNaeem Ashraf, alias Halim, Abul Kalam Azad, bodyguard of Shafat, and Billal, Shafats driverhave remained at large. They have been accused of confining the students in two hotel rooms and filming the rape. The girls alleged that Shafats bodyguard had threatened them not to report the incident or the video would be uploaded on social networking sites. He also threatened to kill them if they reveal the incident to anyone. Eventually the victims mustered enough courage to report the incident to Banani police station on May 6. But the police showed reluctance to file the case and even harassed the students. However, the case was eventually filed on May 8, after the whole incident came to light thanks to media. Follwoing this, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) publicly accused the police of dillydallying with taking the case. Its claim was, however, dismissed by home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who said the accused would be brought to justice regardless of their wealth and influence. Meanwhile, two separate committees were formed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to look into the allegation of police negligence and to ensure proper investigation of the case, the city police said at a press briefing yesterday. In another development, the customs intelligence has requested the Bangladesh Bank to scan the bank accounts of Dildar Ahmed, father of Shafat, to check how he has been dealing in gold trade as there has been no import of the glittering metal in recent times. Meanwhile, two separate committees were formed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to look into the allegation of police negligence and to ensure proper investigation of the case, the city police said at a press briefing yesterday. In another development, the customs intelligence has requested the Bangladesh Bank to scan the bank accounts of Dildar Ahmed, father of Shafat, to check how he has been dealing in gold trade as there has been no import of the glittering metal in recent times.