Two ‘killers’ of SP Babul’s wife ‘confess’ in Chittagong court

Two more suspects arrested in the case over the murder of SP Babul Aktar’s wife have reportedly confessed in a Chittagong court to their involvement in the killing.

Motaleb Mia Wasim and Anwar Hossain were produced before the court of Metropolitan magistrate Harun Ur Rashid on Sunday afternoon and were sent to jail later around 9pm.

The case’s investigation officer Md Kamruzzaman told reporters that the duo gave their confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure from 4pm to 9pm.

But the assistant commissioner of CMP’s Detective Branch did not give details of their statements.

Earlier in the day, CMP Commissioner Iqbal Bahar at a press briefing had announced their arrests and claimed that Wasim and Anwar were ‘directly involved’ in the murder of Mahmuda Aktar Mitu earlier this month.

But he did not say when the two were nabbed. Wasim hails from Rangunia and Anwar from Fatikchharhi.

Bahar had said that the two were sent to court for recording of their ‘confessions’.

At the media call, he claimed that Wasim and Anwar were among the seven to eight people who were involved in the killing. Identities of the other six were ‘more or less confirmed’, he added.

He said that the motive of the murder will be known once the rest of those involved are nabbed.

The CMP chief claimed that Wasim was one of three killers who were seen in CCTV camera footage fleeing the scene of murder on a motorcycle after ambushing Mahmuda.

“It was Wasim who shot her and Anwar was one of those who ran reconnaissance,” said Commissioner Bahar.

On the morning of Jun 5, decorated SP Babul Aktar’s wife Mahmuda was stabbed and then shot in the head near the GEC Intersection in the port city.

Gunnu, Robin ‘not involved’

After the murder, Chittagong police had arrested two other suspects over the murder—Abu Nasur Gunnu on Jun 8 and Shah Zaman alias Robin on Jun 11 - and interrogated them in custody.

Police at that time had also suspected that Robin was one of the motorcycle riders.

But at Sunday’s press briefing, Iqbal Bahar confirmed that these two were not involved in Mahmuda’s killing.

Asked what will happen to them now, he said that decision will be taken after disposal of the case as, until now, the two have been found not involved in the murder.

Professionals, not militants

Police at first had suspected that Islamist militants were behind Mahmuda’s murder as her husband SP Babul Aktar had led several successful raids against them during his tenure in the Detective Branch in Chittagong.

Also, a number of murders in similar fashion had been carried out across the country in recent months.

But, after arresting Wasim and Anwar, police are now saying that the murder was carried out by ‘professional killers’.

Commissioner Bahar said, “The killers are members of an organised gang. The two arrestees are professional killers.”

Asked who ordered the hit, he said, “We’ll find out gradually who gave the order to carry out the murder.”

But the CMP chief did not want to eliminate the possibility of militants’ involvement just yet. “It was a target killing. But we can’t confirm the motive yet.”

He claimed they were getting ‘much information’ from Wasim and Anwar, but did not want to disclose anything until the investigation was complete.

“Six or seven others were involved in the murder. We’ll be able to determine the motive after nabbing them. I will be able to give details after the probe finishes. We won’t say anything based on guesses,” Bahar said.

On media reports saying eight people were arrested over Mahmuda’s killing, he said, “Only two have been arrested. We have questioned a lot of people for information. But I would not refer to those as arrests.”

On the matter of ‘questioning’ Superintendent of Police Babul Aktar in Dhaka, the CMP commissioner said, “I will not refer to that as questioning, we have discussed the case with him.”

Asked whether Babul was under surveillance, Bahar shot back, “Why should we keep the plaintiff under surveillance?”

He added, however, that “if any allegations (against Babul) turn out to be true after investigation, then there are provisions to initiate measures.”