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Download PDF Detained Awami League (AL) leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim in a retraction petition told a Dhaka court yesterday that intolerable physical and mental torture, and threat to kill him in ‘crossfire’ forced him to give a judicial statement in connection with the Tk 2.99 crore extortion case.
Selim submitted the petition to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, set up under special arrangements at MP Hostel on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, when he was taken there along with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
In his petition, the former minister told Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque that the confessional statement was taken following his confinement to an unknown place for a long period, and physical and mental torture in phases.
Defence lawyers said Selim’s repeated requests to jail authorities earlier to have the confessional statement withdrawn or to take him to court were ignored.
The AL leader in his petition said the joint forces arrested him on the night of May 21 without any warrant, and took him away after a four-hour search in his residence.
Blindfolded, he was taken to an unknown place, instead of a police station. He was tortured there physically and mentally, and also threatened with death. The joint forces also questioned him over several issues. He was sent to a court on May 30 with a three-day remand prayer, the retraction petition said.
The court granted remand, and Salim was again blindfolded and taken to an unknown place. On June 2, the court ordered his detention for a month.
And on June 17, two persons identifying themselves as men from the government met Selim and asked him to give confessional statement before a court. They also told him that he would be acquitted if he made deposition as approver in the case, the petition said.
The AL leader was produced before a court on June 18 with a two-day remand prayer, and he was remanded. Blindfolded, he was once again taken to an unknown place where some persons interrogated him on different issues, misbehaved with him and tortured him physically and mentally.
During interrogation, he was again asked to make a confessional statement. As he refused, the interrogators threatened him saying that if he did not agree to their proposal, they would go for recovering firearms from his possession, Selim alleged in his petition.
“We have received a list of three persons to get them caught in crossfire but I do not know as yet whether the list contains your name,” Selim said quoting one of the interrogators.
Anyone would be forced to give a confessional statement in the circumstances he had made the statement, the former minister said.
The retraction petition mentioned that even the BNP-led four-party-alliance while in power could not bring any charges against Selim. Now, a baseless and cooked up charge was brought against him as part of a conspiracy, it said.
“I am withdrawing the confessional statement I have given in the case,” Selim said in the petition.
Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman read out the petition on behalf of Selim as the court did not permit the accused to read it out.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:16 am
Let all these arrested leaders take Oath in the
name of ALLAH with HOLY QURAN in their hands
to swear they are telling the Truth.
Thank you.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:25 am
By the way see all western detective films how criminal lawyers advises all the Culprits to escape from Justice.
Call for all the forensic investigation. How he lived, his life style his hidden wealth. His savings. Connect these with the life style of Hasina’s son in USA.What he does, how he manages himself. Its an easy game for even for an idiot to find out.Who they are trying to kid.
Are Govt lawyers inexperienced stupids!
December 5th, 2007 at 5:40 am
If those allegation are true as Sheikh Selim claimed, then International Human Rights Groups must intervene and investigate the matter. Bangladesh has a historical corruption in every government sectors, there is no doubt about it, the present government are not angles that we must judged by few works in the country. Lairs Oaths frequently to save their lives then honest ones and that is the truth.
Thank you