Ex-OC Pradeep, 14 others indicted for Sinha murder, trial begins July 26

A Cox's Bazar court has indicted 15 people, including former Teknaf police OC Pradeep Kumar Das, in the case filed over the murder of Major (retd) Sinha Md Rashed Khan. 

District and Session's Judge Mohammad Ismail on Sunday formally framed the charges against them after hearing from the state and defence between 11am and 1pm, confirmed Public Prosecutor Faridul Alam.

Apart from rejecting the bail pleas of Pradeep and five others, the court also fixed July 26 to kick-off the trial in the case, said Alam.

He said witness testimonies will be recorded on July 26, 26 and 28 as per the court's order.

Pradeep and the 14 other accused were brought to the court around 10am under beefed up security. They were sent back to jail after the hearing.

Major (retd) Sinha was killed in police firing at Shamlapur check-post on the Marine Drive Road at Baharchhara, Cox’s Bazar on the night of July 31 last year.

On August 5, his sister Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous filed the murder case with the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Teknaf against nine policemen, including Pradeep and Inspector Liakat Ali as the prime accused. The court had ordered the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to investigate the case.

Pradeep, Liakat and five other policemen surrendered in court the next day. RAB later arrested seven more people, including another member of Teknaf police and three members of the Armed Police Battalion, for their involvement in the murder.

On December 13 last year, RAB submitted the charge sheet in the court accusing 15 people.