Since BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has already been arrested in India, there is no question of issuing Interpol red notice for him, the police chief said Thursday.
“The Delhi National Central Bureau [NCB] has informed the Dhaka NCB that Salahuddin is now undergoing treatment at a hospital in Meghalaya,” Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.
He made the comments when asked about an Indian media report that says the Dhaka Interpol office had issued a red notice for the BNP leader’s arrest.
Shahidul said Bangladesh has a criminal exchange treaty with India and “we will bring him back shortly.”
Salahuddin was found “hanging around aimlessly” by some people in Shillong on Monday morning. Since he had no valid papers, identity proof or travel permit, he was arrested by the Meghalaya police and booked under the Foreigners Act.
He has been undergoing treatment at Shillong Civil Hospital.
Salahuddin’s family declared him missing since March 10 alleging that the BNP leader then hiding to evade arrest had been abducted by law enforcers from a house in Uttara of the capital.
On Tuesday, Salahuddin talked to his wife Hasina Ahmed from a Shillong hospital. His family is now processing to get Indian visas to meet him. Hasina also sought the government’s support to bring him back.
Indian newspaper The Telegraph Thursday quoted Meghalaya Director-General of Police Rajiv Mehta as saying that Interpol Dhaka had sent a red corner notice to India requesting it to arrest Salahuddin.
But Meghalaya police is not clear if the notice was issued previously or after Salahuddin surfaced in India.
“The red alert notice was received by us [Meghalaya police] yesterday [Wednesday] through the CBI and we have already responded to the CBI,” Rajiv said.
However, officials in the Meghalaya government said the identity of Salahuddin was yet to be confirmed officially.
Interrogators said they would get the opportunity to interrogate him only when he is discharged. “Officially, the identity of the individual has not been ascertained yet. We are waiting for his release from the hospital to start the interrogation,” M Kharkrang, East Khasi Hills superintendent of police, said.
He would be produced before a court on being discharged from the hospital, he added.
Shillong Civil Hospital cardiologist Dr DJ Goswami, who is supervising Salahuddin’s health condition, said he was physically and mentally stable, though medical tests were being conducted to verify his health status, The Telegraph report reads.
“I have sent for many tests, especially when he [Salahuddin] had briefed me about his history of kidney and heart ailments. The test reports are awaited,” Goswami said.
He said Salahuddin would be released from the hospital only after the authorities were satisfied that he was physically and mentally fit.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
