Safat ‘booked hotel room’ claiming to be friend of MP’s son

Dhaka rape suspect Safat Ahmed booked the hotel room in Banani by claiming to be a friend of Mahir Haroon, son of Awami League MP Bazlul Haque Haroon, according to a police official involved with the investigation.

Safat, son of Apan Jewellers owner Dildar Ahmed, and his friend Shadman Sakif are currently on remand in a case involving the rape of two university students at the Raintree Hotel.

Mahir Haroon is the manager of the four-star hotel.

During the interrogation Safat told police he had booked the room claiming to be a friend of the owner, said Metropolitan Detective Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Shahjahan.

“Because of this none of the staff went to check what they were up to,” he said.

Mahir would be investigated in connection with the case, said a senior official with detective police.

One of the rape victims had previously told bdnews24.com they had seen someone named Mahir that night.

“A person named Mahir, who introduced himself as the manager of the hotel, brought a cake for Safat’s birthday party,” she had said.

“A birthday cake had been taken to Safat on the instructions of the hotel manager, Mahir,” Detective Police Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Nazmul Alam told bdnews24.com when asked about the incident.

Asked whether he would be questioned in connection with the case, he said:

“It isn’t of particular interest at the moment, but he may be interrogated in the future if the need arises.”

Jhalakathi – 1 MP BAH Haroon is also the president of the Rajapur Upazila Awami League. Mahir Haroon is the youngest of his three sons.

Several attempts were made to reach MP Haroon for his comments on his son’s connection to Safat, but his phone was turned off.

On May 6 a rape case was filed against Safat, his two friends Shadman Sakif and Nayem Ashraf and two others at Banani police station.

Safat and Sakif were arrested in Sylhet on May 11 and police were granted remand to interrogate the suspects the following day.

“We have confiscated several electronic devices from the suspects,” said Detective Police official Shahjahan. “But we have yet to find a video of the rape. The suspects claim they did not take a video of the incident.”

But they have confessed to beating a male friend of the two university students, forcing him to confess to being a yaba seller and taking a video film of that.

“During the interrogation both suspects confessed to beating a friend of the two victims. They had not expected him at the birthday party, so they attacked him and filmed the video.”

“The suspects say they never forced themselves on anyone and that all acts were consensual.”

Police are attempting to detain the other suspects.

Police are also trying to ascertain who spread the interviews of the ‘rape victims’ on social media, said Detective Police official Shahjahan.

“The ones who have spread the interviews of the two rape victims on social media have committed a crime and will be found.”