Police sticking to findings that Farhad Mazhar's abduction claim is false

The police are close to submitting the investigation report on Farhad Mazhar's alleged abduction saying that the claim made by the writer and his family is false.

An official of the Detective Branch, which is investigating the case started by the controversial columnist's wife Farida Akhter, spoke to bdnews24.com about the report on Wednesday.

"We'll submit the final report," DB Joint Commissioner Abdul Baten said.

Asked what the detectives found, he said, "Same as before - false. There is nothing to follow up. We'll dispose of the case very soon."

The officer earlier said there is a provision in the Bangladesh Penal Code on taking steps over false allegations, indicating that the law enforcers might initiate steps against the poet.

When bdnews24.com raised the issue again on Wednesday, Baten said, "Let's see what we can do."

Farhad Mazhar's family were not available for comments.

He went missing after leaving his home in Dhaka's Shyamoli early in the morning of July 3. Hours later, Farida filed a general diary at the local police station, saying her husband was abducted. The complaint was later recorded as a case.

After around 18 hours of high drama, Rapid Action Battalion or RAB found him on a bus travelling to Dhaka from Khulna.

The law enforcers said they found no reason to believe that the government critic had been kidnapped.

They hinted that Farhad Mazhar might have staged an 'abduction drama', and provided CCTV camera footages that showed him roaming in Khulna City that day.

Amid chatters in all quarters, including political circles, the police claimed they found a woman who spoke to Mazhar by phone that day and received money he had sent her.

The law enforcers said Mazhar went out to manage money for the woman, one of his followers.

The columnist, however, has stuck to his claim that he was kidnapped and the captors demanded ransom from him.