Another accused sent to jail over attack on New Gini Properties project

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sent an accused, Md Mizanur Rahman, to jail in a case filed over alleged vandalism, and looting at the New Gini Properties housing project in South Manikdi under Cantonment Police Station in the capital.

So far, six people have been arrested in the case.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman passed the order following a petition filed by police, said prosecution division Sub-Inspector Tarekur Rahman.

According to police sources, accused Mizanur is the son-in-law of Md Abdul Gafur, Kushtia-2 lawmaker from Jamaat-e-Islami. Police arrested him from his residence in Matikata on 28 September.

However, on Tuesday, investigation officer and Inspector of Cantonment Police Station Subrata Debnath produced Mizanur before the court and sought an order to keep him in jail.

In the detention plea, police said the accused had admitted during initial interrogation to being involved in the incident. The preliminary investigation also found the complainant’s allegations to be prima facie true, it said.

The investigation is still ongoing, and there is a strong possibility that the accused could abscond and hamper the investigation if released on bail, the petition said.

During the hearing, defence lawyer Shawkat Hossain sought bail for the accused, which the prosecution strongly opposed. Later, the court sent Mizanur to jail and fixed Wednesday for hearing his bail petition.

According to the case documents, on 26 September, around 50 people allegedly entered New Guinea Properties Ltd’s project area in West Matikata.

They allegedly fired, attacked people with machetes, knives and sticks, vandalised and looted the studio, taking cash, laptops, cameras and other equipment, while several vehicles were also damaged.

The case alleges that the attack caused losses of Tk1.4 crore and the theft of goods worth Tk1.5 crore. Police said the attackers also fired at officers, prompting police to fire five shotgun rounds. Project official Saiful Islam Bhuiyan filed the case over the incident.