India’s West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF) has arrested Philip Sangma who assisted the main accused in the murder of Shaheed Osman Hadi to flee Bangladesh.
He was taken into custody on Saturday near Shantipur bypass of Nadia district in India's West Bengal.
Investigators said Philip Sangma, a resident of Haluaghat near the Bangladesh-India border in Mymensingh, facilitated illegal border crossings between Haluaghat in Bangladesh and Dalupara in India's Meghalaya, in exchange for money.
After Shaheed Osman Hadi’s killing, the main suspects, Faisal Masud Karim and Alamgir Sheikh, crossed the border into India with Philip’s help.
Last Saturday, the STF had arrested Faisal and Alamgir from Bongaon in India's West Bengal.
During their interrogation, Philip’s name emerged as the person who assisted their escape.
According to STF sources, the accused had planned to return to Bangladesh, but were caught before they could do so.
Philip was presented in court on Saturday, where the judge ordered him to remain in police custody.
Earlier, Inqilab Moncho convener Sharif Osman Hadi had announced his independent candidacy for Dhaka-8 seat in the 13th parliamentary election. On December 12 last year, shortly after Friday prayers, he was shot from a a motorcycle while riding a battery-operated rickshaw on Calvert Road at Puranapaltan in Dhaka.
He was later flown to Singapore for treatment but succumbed to his injuries on December 18.
Following the shooting, Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Moncho, filed an attempted murder case on December 14.
The charge was later upgraded under Section 302 of the Penal Code. After initial investigation by local police, the case was handed over to DB Police.
On January 6, the DB submitted a charge sheet naming 17 people, including former ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappy and former Chhatra League activist Faisal Masud Karim, as accused.
After expressing dissatisfaction with the DB charge sheet, the complainant petitioned the court for further investigation on January 15 and the case was referred to CID.
In subsequent investigation, CID arrested another suspect, Md Rubel, who confessed in court and is now in jail.
In total, 12 of the 17 accused are currently imprisoned. Faisal Karim Masud remains the main accused, with Alamgir Sheikh as the second.
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