Prof Taher Murder Case: Charge sheet yet to be submitted

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi

The charge sheet in the Prof Dr S Taher Ahmed murder case is yet to be submitted although six months have elapsed after the completion of investigation into the murder of the Rajshahi University (RU) teacher.

The submission of the charge sheet is being delayed as the police high-ups are yet to give the investigation officer (IO) a green light in this regard.

Family members of Prof Taher alleged that the delay is a ploy to save the prime accused, RU Islami Chhatra Shibir President Mahbubul Alam Salehi.

"I met Khoda Bux Chowdhury, presently the Inspector General of Police, several times in the recent past when he was in charge of the monitoring cell of the home ministry for sensational cases. He told me that submission of the charge sheet would be delayed due to the lack of a key witness," Taher's son Sanjid Alvi Ahmed told The Daily Star.

Four accused -- Jahangir, Salam, Nazmul and Prof Mia Muhammad Mohiuddin -- were arrested within a week of the murder in February.

On February 1, Taher went missing just after he reached Rajshahi from Dhaka. His body was found in the sewer behind his campus house in the morning of February 3.

According to judicial confessions made by three accused and judicial statements given by five witnesses, out of 43, Prof Mohiuddin and Salehi plotted the murder for their personal and political gains and Jahangir, Salam and Nazmul committed the crime.

Sources in the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) said the IO was recently asked not to submit the charge sheet until a 'direct witness with regard to Salehi's involvement' is found.

"Mystery of the murder has been unravelled. We are now waiting for the high officials' nod," IO Achchanul Kabir said but declined to elaborate. He had sent a draft charge sheet to the home ministry on May 10 for approval.

Taking advantage of the delay in submitting the charge sheet, Prof Mohiuddin has appealed for the transfer of Tk 30,000 from his bank account to his wife's while three other accused prayed for withdrawal of their judicial statements, court and jail sources said.

In June, former Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Naim Ahmed was transferred to Rajshahi DIG post after he told journalists that the police are ready to press charges against the accused.

Jamaat-Shibir leaders had strongly criticised the former RMP Commissioner in open meetings for implicating Salehi in the case. After his transfer, Salehi was freed on bail.