Bangladesh News

Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar hired top criminal Sanjidul Islam Emon to kill a BNP leader and pourasabha chairman of Netrakona.

But Emon, who was recently deported by Indian authorities, did not kill the chairman of Madan Pourasabha, Shafiqul Islam Liton, as they were relatives, he told the CID during an eight-day remand in a case filed under section 54.

He also confessed to having at least 20 firearms including an AK-47 assault rifle and links to firearm dealers. He said his associates used to carry those firearms.

During the remand that ended yesterday Emon disclosed his involvement in various criminal activities, CID sources said.

When contacted, Madan Pourasobha Chairman Liton told The Daily Star over telephone that he did not know Babar hired Emon to kill him.

“I had good relationship with Babar but it deteriorated before the pourasabha election in 2002 as Babar nominated another candidate, Dewan Mosaddek Shafi,” he said.

“I won the election as an independent candidate and Babar became angry with me,” Liton told our correspondent in Netrakona.

“In March 2006, goons hired by Babar attacked me during a conference of Madan upazila BNP but I saved my life fleeing the scene,” he added.

Meanwhile, following Emon’s confession, the CID recovered a revolver with 32 bullets from the Rayerbazar killing field in the capital on Saturday night and arrested Emon’s associate Jahangir in Paltan area.

CID Inspector Shyamal Chowdhury, who led the drive, said, “We took Emon to Rayerbazar at about 1:30am and recovered the revolver and bullets from a place he located.” This was Emon’s personal weapon, Shyamal told The Daily Star.

“Jahangir who hails from Brahmanbaria is involved in “jhut” business in Tongi area. We trapped and caught him,” he said.

Jahangir had been on the run after he was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment in an arms case filed with Kotwali police station.

Emon was also sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in the case. He was arrested with an AK-22 rifle while trying to take over Fulbaria bus stand along with his gang members in September 1997.

EMON’S LINKS TO ARMS DEALERS
CID sources said Emon had close links to several rings involved in smuggling and dealing firearms.

“Although pistols and revolvers are enough for personal security, it was my hobby to collect various types of firearms,” CID sources said quoting Emon.

They said as the remand ended Emon was shown arrested in an arms case and that he would be produced before the court today with a prayer for further remand to quiz him about his links to firearm dealers.

They said Detective Branch officials also went to the CID office to interrogate Emon in connection with different cases including the killings of former National University vice-chancellor Prof Aftab Ahmad and BNP leader and Emon’s close associate Mostofa Zaman Shibli of ward-48.

CID sources said they are looking for Emon’s wife to know about the money Emon earned through extortion and other criminal activities.