[Bangla Daily Star] Further investigation in sensational 10-truck arms haul cases has apparently come to an end after three and a half years and 13 time extensions.The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) showed 11 new accused including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and former minister for commerce and industries Matiur Rahman Nizami in the memorandum of evidence (ME) of the cases.
The other new accused are India's United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) leader Paresh Barua, former director general (DG) of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, the then director of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, who was later appointed as DG of NSI, former NSI director Wing Commander (retd) Shahab Uddin, former deputy director of NSI Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain, former NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, former additional secretary of industries ministry Nurul Amin, former managing director (MD) of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) Mohsin Talukder and former CUFL general manager (admin) Enamul Hoque.
Of the accused, Ulfa leader Paresh Barua and additional secretary of industries ministry Nurul Amin are absconding.
CID hopes to submit the probe report with in the given timeframe, June 29, as it has prepared an initial ME of the cases.
The investigation officer (IO) of the cases Md Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, also a senior assistant superintendent of police (ASP) for CID, on Thursday submitted the primary ME to Public Prosecutor (PP) Kamal Uddin Ahmed for his review.
CID officials said names of the 11 accused were included with 41 other who were accused in the two previous charge sheets submitted by CID earlier in 2004.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday IO Moniruzzaman said they have almost completed the investigation.
He hoped to submit his probe report after the PP approves the ME.
Sources in CID said names of over 200 people including police officials, a magistrate, former officials of NSI, DGFI, and former secretaries of different ministries have been mentioned in the ME as important witness.
They said CID has so far solved six out of seven issues that a Chittagong court directed to solve during the further investigation. The unsolved issue is identifying the vessel that transported the consignment.
PP Kamal Uddin has confirmed receiving the ME and said he would return it to CID with his opinion after analysing legal aspects.
On April 3, 2004, two cases -- one under arms act and one for smuggling of arms -- were filed with Karnaphuli Police Station against 43 people in connection with the arms and ammunition recovery at CUFL jetty. Names of two accused were later dropped from the charge sheet as they died.
CID started investigating the cases after the first IO of the cases Ahadur Rahman, also the then officer-in-charge of Karnaphuli Police Station, was dropped within less than a month for his controversial investigation.
Kabir Uddin Ahmed, Chittagong zone ASP of CID, was then appointed the next IO who submitted his report on June 11, 2004.
ASP Nawshad Ali was later appointed as the third IO and he submitted a supplementary charge sheet on August 28 of the same year.
On February 12, 2008, during the tenure of the last caretaker government, the court of Metropolitan Session Judge ANM Bashirullan ordered further investigation in the cases following an appeal by the then PP Ahsanul Haque Hena.
The court in its order directed to investigate seven specific points in the further investigation.
ASP of CID Ismail Hossain carried the further investigation as the fourth IO of the cases but he failed to submit his probe report even after six time extensions.
On January 18, 2009 a Chittagong court ordered to replace Ismail Hossain following an appeal by the state lawyer and ASP Moniruzzaman was appointed as the fifth IO.
It was alleged that the previous investigations were not done seriously and the charge sheets were prepared poorly without accusing the criminal masterminds.