A case has been filed against the officer-in-charge (OC) of Khulna railway police station (GRP) and four other policemen on charges of involvement in the alleged gang rape of a woman in custody. The case was filed by the victim herself with the Khulna GRP police station on Friday, accusing OC Osman Gani Pathan, the duty officer on the night of the incident, and three other unnamed police personnel of rape.

On August 3, a mother of three had alleged that she was gang raped by five policemen, including the OC. Kushtia Railway Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Firoz Ahmed, who is heading a committee to probe the allegation, confirmed the matter yesterday (Saturday).

On August 7, OC Osman Gani Pathan and ASI Nazmul Haque were withdrawn from duty for "dereliction of duty"

following the allegation. The two officials were closed to keep the probe influence-free, said Firoz Ahmed.

Firoz Ahmed said the case was filed on directions of the court and on the basis of information collected from the victim’s statement at the prison gate of Khulna District Jail.

The police officer further said the investigation officer (IO) of the case will be assigned from the office of the Superintendent of Pakshey (railway district) police. The case was filed under Section 15 of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013.

The two probe committees, formed to investigate the rape, recorded the victim’s statement at the prison gate of Khulna District Jail on Thursday morning.

According to the allegation, Railway Police had detained the 30-year-old woman on the evening of August 2. The woman claimed that she was taken to the Railway Police Station and then gang raped. Later, the police filed a drug related case against her, she alleged.

After hearing her allegation during the trial of the drug case, the court ordered the authorities concerned to examine the health condition of the victim. The report is yet to be available. The victim’s family alleged that OC Osman demanded Tk. 1 lakh on August 2 to free the woman from their custody.

The accused OC, however, refuted the allegations against him. “These are baseless charges. We detained her with five bottles of phensedyl. There were women sub-inspectors and constables when she was detained,” he said.