MP Anar murder: DB team going to Jhenaidah to retrieve Gas Babu's 3 mobile phones

A team of Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will go to Jhenaidah to conduct an operation to retrieve three mobile phones thrown into a pond by accused Gas Babu following an order of Dhaka court. 

These phones are crucial evidence related to the case, according to DB. 

During the recovery operation, a magistrate will be present alongside Gas Babu. 

Additional Commissioner Mohammad Harunor Rashid, also chief of DB,  informed journalists at the DB office on Minto Road on Tuesday.

He said: "In connection with the murder of Member of Parliament Anwarul Azim Anar, Jhenaidah Awami League leader Kazi Kamal Ahmed alias Gas Babu has been remanded in custody under Section 164. He has revealed where he threw the phones. 

Based on that information, an application was filed with the court regarding Babu's involvement in recovering the evidence.

“Gas Babu stated in court that he, under the direction of a leader, threw the phones into a nearby drain or pond. He has informed the court about where exactly he disposed of the phones," he added.

"We will make strong efforts to recover the evidence, along with a magistrate and investigative officials, by searching through the water and using fire service divers and jail authorities," the DB chief said.

Regarding whether any arrangements have been made to prevent anyone from removing the evidence, Harun said: "Local police have been informed about this. It will be closely monitored."

He further said: "As the investigation is ongoing, I cannot comment on who is guilty or innocent at this moment. No innocent person will be harassed, nor will any guilty person be spared."

"Aktaruzzaman Shahin is currently residing in the United States. There is an extradition agreement with India. Shahin is most wanted by India. India will attempt to bring him back," he added.

A Dhaka court on Monday denied the remand petition for Awami League leader Kazi Kamal Ahmed alias Gas Babu, arrested in the case filed over the murder of Jhenaidah-4 MP Anwarul Azim Anar.

Keraniganj jail super has been ordered to send Gas Babu to Jhenaidah Central Jail within 10 working days. 

The court also ordered a drive led by the Jhenaidah judicial magistrate to recover three mobile phones used by Babu.

On June 6, a team from Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained Babu from the Adarshapara area of Jhenaidah city. Later, he was shown arrested in the case. 

On June 9, the court approved a seven-day remand for the accused, Babu. During the remand, Babu agreed to give a voluntary confession. The case investigator, Assistant Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman of the Detective Branch, applied to record his statement. 

On June 14, Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim recorded his statement, after which he was sent to jail.

According to the related sources, the name of Kazi Kamal alias Gas Babu came up in the statement of Shimul Bhuiyan under section 164, one of the accused in the case, a once extremist terrorist of Khulna region.

Shimul was contacted by Babu via WhatsApp. After the killing of Azim, the killers took off his clothes and took pictures. The photo was sent to Babu's WhatsApp messenger.

The Jhenaidah-4 MP crossed the Darshana-Gede border into India for treatment on May 12. He stayed at his friend Gopal Biswas’s home in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

The following day, he left to see a doctor at noon and was expected to return in the evening. However, a WhatsApp message from his phone to Biswas stated that he went to Delhi instead and would call if necessary.

Since then, he could not be reached by phone. Eventually, the government confirmed his death on May 22, citing Indian police.

Source: UNB