Dhaka: In a rebuff to critics, Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun Tuesday categorically said political identities are not taken into consideration in accepting any sensational murder case.

She made the comment after the 67th meeting of the  ‘monitoring cell for sensational murder case acceptance’ in the conference room of the Home Ministry.

She claimed that no case was accepted as sensational considering political identity for the last 15 months.

She also informed the journalists a total of 381 cases have so far been accepted. “Among them, police gave charge-sheet for 345 cases and 36 were under investigation. Today three cases were accepted as sensational cases by the monitoring cell,” she said.

The latest sensational cases are SI Gautom murder at Sutrapur, Chhatra League leader Faruk murder at Rajshahi University and the case of killing of another BCL leader, Ramiz,  of Adabar in the city.

The Minister said, “We have discussed 10 other cases in detail at today’s meeting.”

She also disclosed that, among the cases, police would submit charge sheet of 5 cases to the court.

The cases are-Mojibur Rahman murder case in Lohagora Thana of Narail, Abdus Salam Patowari murder case of Rampal Thana of Bagerhat, the murder of an unidentified woman of Sutrapur, the killing of Lokman Ahmad, retired headmaster of Shahrasti Thana of Chandpur, and the murder of Mahbubur Rahman, a cable TV businessman.

Replying to a question on the ATN cameraman murder case she said, “It must be considered as a sensational case.”

The Home Secretary and high officials concerned of the cell attended the meeting.

BDST 0530 HRS May 18, 2010
AUB/RS/MMA/MUA