Former ACC official in Ctg died in police custody, family says

UNB, Chattogram :

A former official of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) died in the custody of police in Chattogram early today, deceased’s family says.

Mohammad Shahidullah, 63, was former deputy director of Chattogram Integrated Office-2 of the ACC. He retired in 2007.

His family members claimed that it was a “murder”. Shahidullah was picked up by police without showing any arrest warrant, they said.

The victim’s son, Captain Nafis Shahid, said, “Two sub-inspectors from Chandgaon police station picked up my father, who is a cardiac patient, from our house at around 11 pm last night. Immediately after, my uncles rushed to the police station with his medicine and inhaler but the entrance of the police station was locked when they reached. Later, my father was taken to hospital around 12 am.”

He said that though they have dispute with some neighbors over land, they are not aware of any case lodged recently and that his father received no notice from the court.

Another son, Asif Shahid, said that police were pulling his father by the collar of his shirt and that they did not show the minimum respect.

Pankaj Dutta, additional deputy commissioner (ADC-North) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), confirmed the death of the former ACC official, saying that he was arrested in a case last night from his residence.

“He (Shahidullah) was taken to Parkview Hospital within 15 minutes of his arrest, when he felt sick. Physicians at the hospital declared him dead on arrival,” he said.

Chandgaon Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Khairul Islam claimed that no misconduct was done with the victim when he was inside the police station.