Police quiz Shimla in Ctg
Investigators yesterday quizzed film actress Shimla in connection with the sensational case of Biman Bangladesh aircraft hijacking bid at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport earlier this year, by her former husband Polash Ahmed. Talking to reporters, Shimla said, “As I divorced him before the incident, I could not say anything about it.”
Investigation Officer of the case Inspector Rajesh Barua of Counter Terrorism unit of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) interrogated Shimla at his office at the Dampara CMP Police Lines from 10am to 1:30pm.
The IO on May 22 sent an official letter to Shimla requesting her to appear before police in connection with the case.
Rajesh told The Daily Star, “Shimla was questioned on several issues about Polash; I have recorded her statement.”
“Though some information given by her has already matched with our findings, we will verify her information now,” he said, adding that police have recorded statement of 42 persons including Shimla and five passengers of the plane.
POLASH LIED TO IMPRESS SHIMLA: SOURCES
According to police sources, Shimla told police she first met Polash at a coffee shop in Dhaka at the birthday party of producer Rashed Polash in September 2017.
Polash Ahmed introduced himself to Shimla as Mahibi, a London expatriate and a film producer. They exchanged phone numbers at the programme.
Polash told Shimla that his family was settled in London and he had two houses -- one in Dhaka’s Uttara and another in Narayanganj.
After a few days, Shimla herself proposed to Polash, without informing her family. They got married on March 6, 2018, she added. After the marriage, Polash rented a flat in Dhaka’s Banani, where they lived together.
Shimla told the IO that she left Bangladesh for India seven days after her marriage. During her stay in India, Shimla told Polash she had to stay there for a while due to professional reasons.
Shimla also told police that after four months of marriage, Polash went to India to see her.
He stayed with her in Mumbai for four days, during which Polash told her he landed in India on transit to London from Dhaka. This raised suspicions in Shimla’s mind. She forced Polash to show his passport to check his UK visa, triggering an altercation. She forced Polash out of her flat there, according to her statement to police.
Shimla said she came to Bangladesh in September 2018 and went to Narayanganj with Polash to see his house. After arriving there, she realised she had been lied to.
Sources said Shimla later went to Mumbai again on November 15, 2018, after serving a divorce notice to Polash.
THE HIJACK BID
Polash apparently tried to hijack a Boeing 737-800 aircraft of Biman on February 24, forcing an emergency landing at Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport.
He allegedly tried to enter the cockpit brandishing a gun.
All 148 passengers and cabin crew were evacuated safely. Polash was killed in an eight-minute operation by members of the army’s para-commando unit.
Investigators later said it was a toy gun and the explosives were just small pieces of plastic pipes wrapped in red tape.
A case was filed on February 25 with Patenga Police Station in this connection.
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