Sinha Murder Verdict Likely Today

The verdict in the murder case of retired major Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan against 15 suspects, including the then-Teknaf police station officer-in-charge Pradeep Kumar Das, is scheduled to be delivered by the Cox's Bazar Sessions Judge Court, reports media.

On January 12, Judge Mohammad Ismail of the court set the date for verdict following the final argument placed by public prosecutor Faridul Alam.

Retired Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur police checkpoint in Baharchhara Union of Cox’s Bazar while returning to Cox’s Bazar town on July 31, 2020, after filming for a documentary.

His sister Sharmen Shahria Ferdush filed the case with a Cox’s Bazar judicial magistrate court against nine members of law enforcement agencies, including Pradeep and Baharchhara police outpost inspector Liyakat Ali, on August 5, 2020.

On December 13, 2020, the Rapid Action Battalion submitted the charge sheet against 15 people — Pradeep, Liyakat, then Teknaf police sub-inspector Nanda Dulal Rakshit, constables Rubel Sharma and Sagar Dev, then Baharchhara police investigation centre assistant sub-inspector Liton Mia and constables Safanur Karim, Kamal Hossain and Abdullah Al Mamun, then Cox’s Bazar-based Armed Police Battalion sub-inspector Shahjahan and constables Rajib and Abdullah and villagers Nurul Amin, Nizam Uddin, and Ayas Uddin. All the accused are now in prisons.

On June 27, 2021, Cox’s Bazar court framed charges against the 15. All the police members named in the charge sheet were suspended following their arrest.

The court examined 65 of the 83 prosecution witnesses.

The charge sheet stated that Pradeep had plotted the murder nearly two weeks ago.

The battalion said that the three villagers were police informers and took part in the Sinha murder plot.

Pradeep’s defence counsel Rana Das Gupta alleged that the investigation of the case was not conducted ‘properly’ and there were contradictions between the First Information Report and the charge sheet of the case over the role of Pradeep.

He also said that the prosecution failed to produce scientific evidence in support of their claim regarding the visit of the victim to the Teknaf police station days before the killing on July 31.

He said Pradeep should be acquitted.

The prosecutor, Faridul, however, said the criminals always search for scratches to avoid any convictions.