Dhaka, Sep 28 (bdnews24.com) – Saiful Islam Duke, nephew of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, has been sent to jail, after a two-day remand by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the August 21 grenade attack case.
The Dhaka's Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates' Court judge Mohammad Ali Hossain gave the order to send Duke, 49, to jail after CID officials produced him before the bench on Tuesday.
The same court on Saturday granted the remand.
During the hearing on that day, Duke, also the personal secretary to Khaleda, alleged that he was tortured in police custody in the name of questioning.
"They forced me to tell the names of BNP leaders in connection with the grenade attack by torturing me with electric shocks and indiscriminate beatings," he alleged.
Sub-inspector Mohammad Abdul Haque, general recording officer of the court, told bdnews24.com on Saturday that Duke's lawyers met him at the court custody with the court's permission. "He delivered the fabricated speech that his lawyers asked him to tell the court judge," Haque claimed.
On Aug 26, the same court rejected Duke's appeal for bail, and granted CID four days to take him into custody for questioning.
The police had arrested Duke on the same day for his alleged involvement in the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004. The law enforcement agency showed Duke arrested after he was summoned to CID's Malibagh office for the second time on August 25.
After that remand, the police claimed that Duke had given them new information about involvement of some important persons in the grenade attack, that left 24 dead and many more injured.
CID's special superintendent Abdul Kahar Akand, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, said that, according to the case details, Duke had helped militant leader Mohammad Tajuddin, who supplied the grenades, to escape by air to Pakistan.
Tajuddin was the brother of Abdus Salam Pintu, a state minister of the ruling BNP government at that time. The police have also claimed to have unearthed important information in this connection.
Moreover, Duke is said to have close connections with others accused in the case, who are absconding.
During interrogation, other detainees had given information confirming Duke's involvement.
The CID in its remand application had stated that it was important to question Duke to learn more about the collection and supply of grenades, and the names and addresses of other persons involved.
On Aug 21, 2004, 24 leaders and workers of Awami League were killed and over 200 injured in the grenade attack on Bangabandhu Avenue.
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