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Published : 17 May 2014, 09:35 PM
The former lieutenant colonel, standing at a Narayanganj court on Saturday after his arrest, claimed that the allegations against him and his fellow officers were a ‘fabrication’ of the media.
“We’re not involved in the case. Newspapers and televisions are saying RAB took money from Nur Hossain to kill them. They are inciting the lawyers against RAB,” he said.
Tarek Sayeed and Maj Arif Hossain were brought to court by police with a remand petition.
No lawyer was representing Tarek. Senior Narayanganj lawyer Chandan Sarker was among the seven abducted and killed last month.
Lawyers were visibly enraged by his words and shouted their protests. People were seen spitting at Tarek and Arif.
From among the lawyers, someone said, “We did not point any finger at RAB. A handful of officers like you have committed this crime. You did it.”
Tarek, who spoke for himself at the court, first expressed his grief at the death of Chandan Sarker.
“It’s only natural that lawyers will be angered by the murder of their colleague,” he said.
Fingers were pointed at RAB officials after Councillor Nazrul, Chandan Sarker and five others were abducted on Apr 27.
After their bodies were recovered three days later, Nazrul’s father-in-law Shahidul Islam alleged that RAB officials had taken Tk 60 million from another local Councillor Nur Hossain to commit the crimes.
Tarek, Arif and ex-navy officer MM Rana were withdrawn from Narayanganj and later forced into retirement by the defence establishments soon after the crimes. The High Court on May 11 ordered police to arrest them.
In the early hours of Saturday, Tarek and Arif were arrested from Dhaka cantonment. Police say they do not know the whereabouts of Rana.
Shahidul had said they wanted to include these officers in the abduction case, in which Nur Hossain is the prime accused, but police would not agree to it.
At the court, Tarek claimed that a conspiracy was afoot to sully RAB’s image.
He said he was not involved in the crime. “If necessary put us in a 20-day remand. But the truth must come out,” he said.
After the court granted a five-day remand, the duo was taken to Narayanganj Police Lines in Masdair where they will be questioned.
An enraged crowd was waiting at the court during their arrival. Both the men wore helmets and bulletproof jackets. Many people spat at them. Some tried to hit them but police dispersed the mob.
