The inspector general of police has defended the sub-inspector, who allegedly assaulted Bangladesh Bank officer Golam Rabbi, by claiming the latter refused to be patted down.
king at an event of community policing at Savar on Tuesday evening, AKM Shahidul Hoque also claimed that Rabbi committed a criminal offence by preventing police from frisking him on Jan 9.
The police chief’s statement came amid widespread criticism of the force after two of its officers had beaten up Rabbi and an inspector of Dhaka South City Corporation recently.
He urged all not to criticise the entire police force for ‘one or two lapses’.
“Nobody is beyond law. Many police officers face harsher punishment than they deserve for their offences. So please help police carry out their responsibilities,” he said.
Rabbi, an assistant director of the central bank, alleged that Mohammadpur Police Station Sub-Inspector Masud Shikdar had confined him inside a vehicle in a bid to extort money from him.
He also claimed Shikdar had assaulted him and threatened to prosecute him as a yaba addict.
Police first withdrew the sub-inspector from duty and then suspended him following primary investigations into the allegations.
Referring to the investigation committee, led by Assistant Commissioner Hafiz Al-Faruk, IGP Hoque said Rabbi had obstructed law enforcers from searching him on that night.
“Only showing the identity card cannot make police certain that he is that person,” he added.
“But,” he said, “the police officer could have taken him to the police station to verify his identity without confining him inside the vehicle for two hours.”
“The matter (Rabbi not cooperating with police) is tantamount to a criminal offence… However the matter has been taken to the court and we’ll take measures as per court order.”
Referring to the widespread criticism of police, he said such bashing could demoralise the force.
Source: Bd news24
