Ctg shrine looting: Trial against Rab men to go on

The High Court Wednesday cleared the way for a lower court to resume a trial proceeding against suspended Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) official Zulfiqar Ali Majumder and six others in a case filed for their alleged involvement in looting Tk 2.07 crore from a shrine in Chittagong.

The HC bench of Justice SM Emdadul Hoque and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman lifted this earlier order that had stayed the trial proceedings of the case.

The court also rejected a petition filed by suspended Rab official Flight Lt Shiekh Mahmudul Hasan praying to the court to scrape the case proceedings.

A case was filed on March 13, 2012, against the seven people including Lt Col (sacked) Zulfiqar Ali Majumder, the then commanding officer Rab-7, and Mahmudul Hasan, for looting Tk 2 crore from the shrine Talsara Darbar Sharif.

Police on July 25, 2012, submitted charge sheet to a Chittagong court against the seven.

Following the petitions of Mahmudul Hasan, the HC in the same year stayed the trial proceedings of the case.

The court also issued a ruling upon the authorities concerned of the government to explain why the trial proceedings of the case should not the quashed.

Today the HC rejected the petition.

According to the case statement, members of Rab in plainclothes on November 4, 2011 entered the Talsara Darbar Sharif and kept Pir Ahammed Safa Shah confined to a room at gunpoint.

They smashed open three cupboards and took away the cash that was kept there.