HC orders to suspend police official, reinvestigate a case

Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Monday ordered the authorities concerned to suspend investigation officer Masudur Rahman who submitted a charge sheet of a murder case of the Manikganj Sadar Police Station within 42 hours, after completing it within only 24 hours.
Police Superintendent (SP) of Manikganj has been asked to comply with the order and the investigation officer will have to be on suspension till further order of the court.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Badruzzaman and Justice S M Masud Hossain Dolon passed the order after hearing a revision petition filed in this regard.
During the order, the court said, “Investigation Officer Masudur Rahman investigated the case perfunctory way and gave false information before the court. He recorded testimony of 8 witnesses within 85 minutes during the investigation, which is not possible for any sensible person”.
Therefore, the court directed the Chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to reinvestigate the case.
The High Court said, “The case should be investigated by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police. The investigation shall be completed within 60 days of receiving the copy of the order, and the probe report has to be submitted before this court”.
Apart from this, the High Court ordered the District and Sessions Judge’s Court in Manikganj to stay the trial proceedings of this case.
Warning Masudur Rahman, who is also a sub-inspector of Manikganj Sadar Police Station, the High Court said, “Nobody is above the law. You considered yourself above the law. Never consider like that. No matter how big an investigating officer you are, you are also under the law. It must be remembered”.
Lawyer Shishir Mohammad Manir appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the revision petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Sujit Chatterjee Bappi represented the state.
Later Bappy said that the court has fixed June 5 for further hearing on the matter and asked the concerned authorities to comply with the orders by this time.
Md Rubel, (22), was killed in a hatchery of Kaitora village of Manikganj Sadar in the night of September 23 last year. Victim’s wife filed a murder case the next day accusing a person named Sohel who was arrested later.
Meanwhile, sub-inspector Masudur Rahman completed the investigation of the case within only 24 hours after filing of the case, and submitted the charges sheet in the court within 42 hours of case filing. A national daily reported on March 2 in 2023 about this incredible investigation.
Plaintiff of the case Chompa Akter and accused Sohel on March 5 filed a revision petition with the HC annexing the published report. Upon primary hearing on the petition the High Court on March 15 summoned the investigation officer of the case.
Masudur had been asked to appear before the court on April 3 with all documents of the case. The court held hearing on the matter again on Monday after the investigation officer had appeared before the court complying earlier order.