Though the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) yesterday denied the allegation of torturing an innocent person for realising extortion, victim and his family members said that police was trying to cover up the incident.  According to media reports, Apu, son of Al Amin alias Milon, was tortured by some members of the Detective Branch in Rajshahi early this month for bribe. Talking to The Independent RMP commissioner Md Shamsuddin said, if the authenticity of the allegation that bribes were demanded after a school student was tortured in DB police custody is proved, action will be taken against those responsible.
However, he also said an inquiry would first be conducted to find out whether any such incident had actually occurred.
Iftekhayer Alam, assistant commissioner of DB of RMP, said that Apu’s father, Milon, is an identified drug trader. On June 8, Milon went to appear before a court in Rajshahi in a drug-related case. At the court, on seeing the DB police, Milon fled, the scene leaving his motorcycle behind. The police later seized his motorbike. On failing to find Milon, the DB police took Apu into custody for interrogation, he admitted.
"He was released after being quizzed. There was no incident of torture or  realisation of ransom,” asserted Alam.
He also said that the media reports were aimed at undermining the RMP drive against the listed drug peddlers in the city.
Meanwhile, while talking to The Independent, accused drug peddler Milon claimed: “I paid a bribe of Tk. 1,50,000 to DB police for obtaining the release of my detained son, Apu, through a middleman named Monju. Besides, I have paid bribes to sub inspectors (SIs) Swapon Kumar and Karim. But for a few days, some DB men of RMP, have also been demanding bribes from me.”
While admitting that there are seven drug trading cases against him, he, however, said he has got bail in these cases.
Al Amin alias Milon, the alleged victim, told The Independent that his family was currently hiding at his maternal uncle Shahidul’s residence at Kosba village in Godabari upazila in the district, fearing further police harassment.
SI Azhar, who also reportedly tortured Apu, could not be reached as he is currently in Gazipur for training, said his brother Monsur Ali. He has claimed that he did not go to the court premises in June to arrest Milon or his son Apu as reported in the media.