Tk12 lakh deal to kill Salman Shah
The confession of an accused in a related case mentions an alleged Tk 12 lakh deal to kill most popular Bangladeshi film actor Salman Shah, the prosecution told the court.
The long-running Salman Shah Murder case takes a dramatic turn as actor Ashraful Haque Don, the eighth accused, is sent to jail following his arrest at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday.
Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi makes the claim during the hearing of Don’s case before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana. Citing the confession, he says the allegation of a Tk 12 lakh deal to kill Salman Shah comes to light in the case.
Don is arrested around 5am while allegedly attempting to leave the country. He is produced before the court several hours later and listens to the allegations with his head bowed. After hearing the prosecution and the CID’s plea, the court orders him to be sent to jail.
The prosecution argues that Don’s detention is necessary because he has remained absconding for a long time and could flee again if released. No bail petition is filed on his behalf.
Faruqi also tells the court that the case takes a new turn after an alleged attempt to abduct Salman Shah’s younger brother following the actor’s death. A complaint is filed over the incident with Cantonment Police Station, and the alleged Tk 12 lakh murder contract emerges through the confession of an accused in that case, according to the prosecution.
The claim has added fresh weight to a murder case that has remained unresolved for nearly three decades. However, the allegation of the Tk 12 lakh contract has not yet been established in court.
The CID has already delayed its investigation report eight times. The latest deadline was 23 July, but the investigation officer fails to submit the report. The court now sets 30 August as the new date for submission.
The case names 11 accused, including Salman Shah’s wife Samira Haque, her mother Latifa Haque Leo alias Lucy and actor Ashraful Haque Don. They face charges under Sections 302 and 34 of the Penal Code in connection with an alleged planned murder.
The CID is also pursuing steps to determine the actual cause of Salman Shah’s death. The court has allowed the exhumation of his remains, along with an inquest and post-mortem examination, as part of the investigation.
Salman Shah dies on 6 September 1996. His death is initially treated as an unnatural death, while a 1997 CID report concludes that he died by suicide. His family later challenges the finding, and after years of legal proceedings, the court directs that the death be treated as a murder case.
With Don now in jail and the alleged Tk 12 lakh murder contract coming under renewed scrutiny, attention turns to the CID’s next investigation report, which is due on 30 August.
