IGP’s complaint monitoring cell needs to be more effective: HC

High Court (HC) in the full text of a verdict has emphasized on making functions of “IGP Complaints Monitoring Cell” more effective and speedy in order to quickly complete departmental investigation into allegations brought against law enforcers and to take legal actions against them who will be found guilty.  

“While conducting daily judicial proceedings, we are very often noticing that various allegations are brought against law enforcers, including local police officers in different areas, and the victims lodge written complaints with the office of inspector general of police. But the allegations are not disposed of quickly.

The court expects that the inspector general of police (IGP) would take necessary steps to this effect, and the court also firmly believes that the IGP would make the functions of “IGP Complaints Monitoring Cell” more effective and speedy,” a HC bench said.   

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman made the observation in the full text of its verdict on a writ petition filed challenging the alleged manipulation of first information report (FIR) of labour leader Nurul Islam murder case in Rajshahi.

The full text of the HC verdict was released on Tuesday. The HC bench had delivered the short verdict on the same writ petition on December 1 this year.

In the full text of verdict, the HC observed that the allegation against then officer-in-charge (OC) of Rajshahi’s Puthia Police Station Shakil Uddin Ahmed of manipulating the FIR in Nurul Islam murder case is undoubtedly grave which is a punitive offence under sections 166 and 167 of the Penal Code.

The two sections of the Penal Code are scheduled in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act, 2004 the HC said, adding that the issues of investigation of the case after accepting and recording its FIR at the police station is the sole jurisdiction of the OC.

The HC directed the chief judicial magistrate of Rajshahi, who conducted a judicial enquiry into the allegation, to send the probe report along with relevant documents and witnesses’ statements to the ACC.

The HC ordered the graft watchdog body to initiate the next course of action based on the judicial enquiry report under the ACC Act-2004 and the ACC rules-2007 after receiving the documents from the chief judicial magistrate.

Rajshahi’s CJM Md Mehedi Hasan Talukder submitted the probe report to the HC last month, saying that the inquiry has found five police officials, including three additional superintendents of Rajshahi police and OC Shakil, responsible for manipulating the FIR.

It also asked the IGP to take departmental action against OC Shakil after conducting an inquiry into the allegation brought against him, saying that informant Nigar Sultana and multiple people, including Shakil’s subordinate policemen and even his mother-in-law lodged different allegations with the IGP.

The HC bench also directed the Rajshahi police administration to provide Nurul Isla’s daughter Nigar Sultana, who filed the writ petition, her family members, witnesses of the case, and plaintiff’s lawyers with necessary security.

According to the writ petition, an election to Puthia Motor Sramik Union was held on April 24 this year and Nurul contested the election for the general secretary post.

The following day, the polls results showed that Abdur Rahman Patal was elected general secretary of the Sramik Union.

Nurul filed a case with a Rajshahi court on June 9, claiming that he bagged 602 votes against Patal’s 520, but the latter was declared elected illegally.

The court on the same day issued an injunction, restricting Patal and three others from taking up the posts of the Sramik Union. The order was imposed on them on June 10.

Nurul went missing around 8:00pm that day, and his body was recovered from SS Brick Field the following day.

Nurul’s daughter Nigar filed a murder case on June 11 against eight people, including Patal.

In the FIR of the case, she alleged that then OC Shakil was involved in manipulating the election results in favour of Patal.

Police later submitted an FIR of the murder case to the trial court in Rajshahi, dropping the names of the eight accused.

On September 16, the HC bench directed the CJM of Rajshahi to conduct an enquiry into the alleged manipulation of the FIR by Shakil following the same writ petition.

It also issued a rule asking government to explain as to why Shakil should not be suspended for manipulating the FIR. The same day, OC Shakil was suspended.