RAB has handed over Mahmudur Rahman Manna, who has been embroiled in controversy since his phone conversations leaked, to Gulshan Police Station 21 hours after arresting him.
The Nagorik Oikya convener was sent to the headquarters of the Detective Branch immediately after he was taken to Gulshan Police Station around 12:20am on Wednesday.
The security agencies had been denying his detention until then, but there had been no statement forthcoming from Rapid Action Battalion.
The force’s Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan told bdnews24.com: “A case has been filed with Gulshan Police Station under Section 131 of Penal Code. Charges under this section deal with inciting the armed forces to revolt. The case number is 32, dated February 24.”
The case lodged by SI Sohel Rana of the police station also accuses an unnamed person.
The former student leader has stirred up a storm after bdnews24.com on Sunday broke news on audio clips of his leaked phone conversations with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and another unidentified person.
Demands of his arrest on sedition charges have been raised by ruling Awami League leaders.
Manna’s sister-in-law Begum Sultana filed a General Diary (GD) demanding to know about his whereabouts and a proper investigation into the incident.
Earlier, six GDs were also filed with Shahbagh, Ramna and Paltan police about Manna and the leaked conversations.
Manna’s family said he was detained by people identifying themselves as detective policemen from his brother Banani home around 3:30am on Tuesday.
After the filing of the compliant, Banani police chief Bhuiyan Mahbub Hasan said they were trying to track him down.
When asked whether they had learnt of Manna’s whereabouts, Begum Sultana told bdnews24.com, “No, we did not get any news.”
Manna’s wife Meher Nigar and daughter Nilam Manna went to Banani Police Station at night. They did not find the OC and spoke to him after collecting his phone number from the duty officer.
Nigar told journalists after stepping out from the station around 11pm, “No, we did not get any news. He (OC) told us that they are in the dark as well.”
She added that they were going to file a petition for a High Court ruling about Manna’s ‘detention’.
The two leaked audio clips of Manna speaking to BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and an unidentified person that bdnews24.com carried on Sunday had stirred the nation and ignited intense political debate.
Awami League leaders allege Manna along with the BNP plotted to oust the current government and pave way for an unconstitutional government.
The BNP, whose indefinite transport blockade since Jan 5 has created a political turmoil, issued a statement over the alleged disappearance of the Nagorik Oikya convener claiming that a government agency was involved.
The statement, signed by Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed, who is staying at an undisclosed location, urged the government to ‘return’ Manna to his family.
Source: Bd news24
