Four leaders of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League were arrested by the Shillong police on Sunday in a joint operation with the Vidhannagar police from Kolkata’s Newtown area.
The accused were produced in Shillong on Tuesday. A case was pending against them in Meghalaya and the case was registered at Dauki Police Station in Shillong.
Speaking to The Indian Express, a top police officer from Meghalaya (western region) said, “This is a two-month-old case. They have been produced in a local court.”
The accused were Sylhet district Awami League general secretary and ousted Zilla Parishad chairman Naseeruddin Khan; Sylhet Metropolitan Youth League President Alam Khan Mukti; Sylhet Metropolitan Youth League Vice President Abdul Latif Ripon; and Metropolitan Awami League member Ilyas Ahmad Jewel.
Police said that the accused was produced in Barasat Court of West Bengal on charges of illegal entry, dacoity, highway robbery, damage to government property and using a sharp weapon. However, despite the request for transit remand, the case could not be heard due to the court holiday.
Barasat’s lawyer Aslamuzzaman said, “According to the law, if the accused can be produced in the local court within 24 hours, there is no need to take them into transit custody.” So Meghalaya Police came here.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh government on August 5, several heavyweight Awami League leaders fled the country.
According to Shillong police sources, Awami League leaders fled from Sylhet and came to Shillong. Two people are still absconding: Sylhet District Swayamsevak League President Afsar Aziz and Metropolitan Swayamsevak League General Secretary Debansudas Mithu.
It has also been learned that 6 people, including Nasir Uddin Khan, who left the country and are in Shillong, are allegedly living in a flat a little away from Shillong market. They went to Kolkata on December 1.
They have been charged under Sections 118 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt), 309 (4) (robbery), 310 (2) (robbery), 324 (damage to public property) of the Foreign Law. of BNS.
Border security forces and police personnel are keeping a tight vigil at Ghojadanga, Petrapol, Mehndipur, Phulbari, Chhayanggrabandh etc. in South and North West Bengal regions to prevent Bangladeshi infiltration, a BSF official said.