Sinha murder: Probe body interrogating Pradeep, Liakat, Nanda at jail

The probe body formed by the Home Ministry to look into the killing of retired army officer Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan in Cox's Bazar, is interrogating three suspended police personnel, also the prime suspects in the case.

They are -- Teknaf police station officer-in-charge Pradeep Kumar Das, sub-inspector Nanda Dulal Rakkhit, and Baharchhara investigation centre in-charge Inspector Liakat Ali.

The high-powered four-member inquiry committee, led by Chittagong Additional Divisional Commissioner Mizanur Rahman, started quizzing them inside the Cox's Bazar District Jail around 11am on Monday.

The committee is also expected to quiz four other suspended police personnel -- assistant sub-inspector Liton Miah, and constables Safanur Karim, Kamal Hossain, and Abdullah Al Mamun -- after the interrogation of the prime suspects on Monday.

It will also grill three witnesses in the cases started by police soon after the killing of Sinha.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), which is now investigating the Sinha murder case, has already taken these seven people into its custody for interrogation.

Earlier on Sunday, the probe body held a public hearing as part of its investigation into the death of former major Sinha in a reported police firing.

The hearing was held at the office of the Rohingya camp in-charge at Shamlapur of Teknaf's Baharchhara union. Nine people, out of 11, testified in the hearing.

After the hearing, Mizanur Rahman said their investigation was at its final stage and that they hope to file their findings on August 23.

On the night of July 31, retired army officer Sinha was killed at the Shamlapur police check post on Marine Drive in Baharchhara.

On August 5, Sinha's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a case with the Cox's Bazar Chief Judicial Magistrate Court against nine people, including Pradeep and Liakat.

On August 6, seven of the accused surrendered to court, which sent them to jail after rejecting their bail pleas. 

Soon after the court's order, the RAB moved a petition for taking the suspects into custody. 

Although the court remanded Pradeep, Liakat, and Nanda Dulal for seven days, the battalion is yet to interrogate them.