10-Truck Arms Haul Cases
Ex-NSI DG was not hurt when brought to court
States former Ctg metropolitan magistrate
A former Chittagong metropolitan magistrate yesterday denied the defence's claim that accused Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim of the sensational 10-truck arms haul and smuggling cases was brought before him in an injured condition.
Osman Gani, a prosecution witness, also said Rahim, a former National Security Intelligence (NSI) director general, claimed to have no injury when the former inquired on his health.
Osman was being cross-examined by the defence lawyers yesterday before Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 Judge SM Mojibur Rahman. He gave his deposition on January 9, said court sources.
Osman said he had no idea that Rahim suffered injuries to his eyes during police remand from May 14 to 20 in 2009 and had undergone an operation for it.
On the defence's claim that the bandages on Rahim's eyes were removed before he was produced before Osman on May 27, 2009 to give a confessional statement, the magistrate said it was not true.
On another claim that Mohsin Uddin Talukdar, former Managing Director of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL), did not give any confessional statement as an accused but was given a proposal to give statement as an approver, Osman said it was not true.
Mohammad Mahabubur Rahman, another former Chittagong metropolitan judge and currently a land commission secretary in Khagrachhari, also gave his deposition yesterday before the court adjourned its proceedings till today.
He stated to have recorded confessional statements of three accused and statements of nine prosecution witnesses during his tenure in a Chittagong court.
On January 8, two former Chittagong metropolitan magistrates -- Muntasir Ahmed and Md Abu Hannan -- gave their depositions and were also cross-examined.
Yesterday, 11 of the accused, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and former industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, were produced before the court.
On April 2, 2004, around 1,500 wooden boxes containing submachine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets were seized from two vessels at a CUFL jetty.
Two cases were filed the next day with Karnaphuli Police Station under the special powers act and arms act for smuggling and seizure of the arms cache.
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