Investigators are yet to unearth the motive or the mastermind behind the recent killing of Zahidul Islam Tipu, former general secretary of Awami League's Motijheel Thana committee.
A Dhaka court on Saturday sent an Awami League leader and four others to jail in a case filed over killing two people, including former general secretary of Motijheel Awami League Zahidul Islam Tipu in Dhaka's Shahjahanpur on March 24.
The accused are Omar Farooq, 52, AL general secretary of Dhaka South City Corporation Ward-10 unit, Abu Saleh Sikder, also known as Shooter Saleh, 38, Nasir Uddin alias Killer Nasir, 38, Morshedul Alam alias Kayla Palash, 51, and Abul Hossain Mohammad Arfan Ullah Imam Khan alias Damal, 45.
A high official of an investigation agency told the Daily Observer that many of the information provided by alleged hit-man Masum Mohammad alias Akash in primary interrogation contradicts the findings of the detectives.
"A professional shooter and a cool-headed hit-man like Masum may mislead us with the information," he told wishing anonymity. Samia Afnan Prity, a 22-year-old student of Begum Badrunnesa Govt Girls' College, was killed when a stray bullet hit her.
Tipu's wife Farhana Islam Dolly, who filed a murder case, said that the arrested were low-profile criminals. "They may be involved in the killing but it needs to be ascertained who is the actual mastermind."
Six people have so far been arrested in the case. Masum Mohammad Akash and Arfan Ullah Damal, a local Jubo League leader, are the other arrested.
Suman Sikder Musa, another accused in the Rizvi murder case, coordinated the Tipu killing mission. He left the country for Dubai on March 12, according to RAB.
RAB said the murder contract was Tk 15 lakh, most of which was paid by Farooq. Musa planned and appointed the hit-man for the murder.
RAB said they have so far found the involvement of several top underworld criminals, who stay in the UAE and France.
The Detective Branch of police said they had arrested Masum Mohammad Akash the 'main shooter' who recently shot Dhaka city Awami League leader Zahidul Islam Tipu and a college girl to death in the capital's Shahjahanpur area.
Masum on April 5 gave a confessional statement before a magistrate naming several others involved in the killings.
Tipu, 55, was returning home at Khilgaon Bagichha on his microbus from a restaurant. As the vehicle got stuck in a traffic jam, unidentified assailants fired shots at it, leaving Tipu dead. Rickshaw passenger Prity who was passing the area also died being hit by a bullet.
