OC Pradeep’s drug links led to Maj Sinha killing: RAB

Maj (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan was killed as he discovered links to trading of banned Yaba pills with suspended Teknaf Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Pradeep Kumar Das.  
The basic finding of the investigation was that it was a 'planned' murder,  said Lt Col Ashiq Billah, Director of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)'s legal and media wing, at a press conference held at the elite force's media centre in the city on Sunday.
"It happened because Sinha came to know about Pradeep's arbitrariness and Yaba trade," Lt Col Ashiq Billah said after the investigation officer
Scharged Pradeep and 14 others in the case.
Sinha had found Pradeep directly involved with deal in cross-border Yaba trade worth about Tk 50 lakh daily using a number of Rohingyas.  As many as 65 Rohingyas were killed in 'gunfights' after Pradeep took over as officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model Police Station on October 19 in 2018, according to sources.  
For a documentary, Sinha took interviews of some locals in Teknaf. Pradeep wanted to cover up all his misdeeds, which could be revealed by Sinha. Thus Sinha became a threat to OC Pradeep.
Initially, Maj Sinha was threatened when he went to take OC Pradeep's statement on his involvement in Yaba smuggling, the RAB official said. At that time, Sinha's companions were with him. But, OC Pradeep asked Maj Sinha to abandon his plan, according to RAB investigation.
He also threatened him of dire consequences unless he followed the directive of the OC," said Lt Col Ashiq Billah and added, "OC Pradeep was the mastermind behind the killing of Maj Sinha."
Maj (Retd) Sinha and his companions went to Teknaf in July this year to make a video film for his travel based Yutube channel 'Just Go.' Locals informed him about OC Pradeep's involvement in various misdeeds including smuggle of Yaba pills into the country [from neighbouring Myanmar].
Sinha was a friendly person and people opened up to him, telling him about how Pradeep oppressed them. Upon finding such allegations, he met with Pradeep at Teknaf Police Station," said Lt Col Ashiq Billah.
The RAB official said, "OC Pradeep felt that he was going to face danger. Because of it, he planned to punish Maj Sinha. As part of it, OC Pradeep, Inspector Liakat and three police sources--Nurul Amin, Nizamuddin and Ayat--assembled at Teknaf Police Station and held a secret meeting.
A decision was taken to kill Maj Sinha. "Pradeep told Maj Sinha to leave the area and threatened to 'destroy' him if he didn't comply," said Lt Col Ashiq Billah.

Maj Sinha had been staying at Nilima Resort in Himchhari of Cox's Bazar with three others for around a month to film a travel documentary.
After his death, police said they fired in self-defence when Sinha brandished a pistol at law enforcers after obstructing a search of his vehicle at the checkpoint on the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive. The entire shooting episode took only one and a half minutes, the RAB had earlier said.
It may be recalled that at night on July 31 last, Sinha was killed in police firing centring the searching of his car at Shamlapur Checkpost in Baharchhara union along the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive.
"Following the killing, OC Pradeep along with other accused including Baharchhara Camp in-charge Liakat Ali arranged a drama of recovery of drugs from Maj (Retd) Sinha's companions," said Lt Col Ashique Billah.
RAB on Sunday submitted the charge-sheet against 15 persons including suspended OC Pradeep Kumar in Maj Sinha murder case. The charge sheet was submitted before the court of senior magistrate Tamanna Farah in Cox's Bazar by RAB-15 officer Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Khairul Alam, also the investigation officer.
The ASP said 14, out of the 15 charge sheeted accused are in jail while police constable Sagar has been absconding.
From the report, it is learnt that suspended OC Pradeep was the mastermind of Maj Sinha murder and SI Liakat was the killer. The charge sheet was submitted after investigating the case for more than four months.
Meanwhile, IO Assistant Superintendent of Police Bimal Chandra Karmaker submitted the final report of two drug cases filed against Shahedul Islam Sifat and Shipra Debnath, who accompanied slain Maj Sinha.
A Cox's Bazar court on Sunday dismissed a revision petition filed by Liaqat Ali, suspended inspector of Baharchhara Investigation Centre, challenging the legality of the Maj (retd) Sinha murder case filed by the victim's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous.
After holding a full hearing on the petition, Mohammad Ismail, Judge of Cox's Bazar District and Session judge's court, passed the order, said Public Prosecutor of the court Faridul Alam.
On October 4, Liaqat Ali, prime accused in Maj Sinha murder case, filed the revision petition with the Cox's Bazar court, saying that the murder case was illegal.
His sister Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous filed a case on August 5.