Political connection in Peelkhana carnage yet to be found: IO

UNB, Dhaka

After a long-drawn investigation into the BDR carnage, the IO Wednesday disclosed that political connection with the incident could not yet be found other than individual links of Awami League leader Torab Ali and BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.
Briefing reporters at the CID Headquarters, the investigating officer of the BDR carnage case, special super Abdul Kahar Akand, disclosed that the February 25-26 mutiny was "preplanned".
And Torab Ali and Pintu knew about it and, at one stage, they had involvement in the incident that left many army officers in command of the border force dead and the BDR headquarters ransacked apart from other felonies.
"It (mutiny) was the manifestation of pent-up grievance of BDR jawans and also an attempt to tarnish the image of the government," said the investigating officer of the BDR carnage case.
A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers and three women, were killed in the Pilkhana carnage that also sent a ripple of revolt through other garrisons of the Bangladesh Rifles across the country.
Asked about involvement of Jamaat leader Barrister Abdur Razzak who was interrogated in this connection, he said Barrister Razzak was interrogated but his involvement was not found.
Asked about the time for submitting charge sheet in the BDR killings case, Kahar said the investigation is at the final stage. "It takes little bit time to complete the inquiry so the accused cannot escape through the loopholes of law."
He said the charge sheets will be submitted accusing nearly 900 persons. Kahar said that, so far, 2,205 persons, mostly BDR jawans, have been arrested. Of them, 523 BDR men gave their confessional statements to the Magistrates under Section 164 of CrPC. Some 7,974 persons, including BDR men, their relatives, Ministers, MPs, victims and their family members, police, RAB, army, newsmen and local residents, were interrogated.
Besides, 3,700 alamats (evidences) were seized from the place of occurrence and other places. He said at the time of the mutiny about 11,000 BDR men were present inside the BDR headquarters. There are 100 establishments inside the headquarters and offences were committed in almost all those places amid the mayhem.