PBI fails to complete investigation into RAB shooting at Lemon

The Police Bureau of Investigation is yet to complete fresh investigation into the shooting at Jhalakati college student Lemon Hossain in the left leg by the Rapid Action Battalion on March 23, 2011 causing amputation of the leg. 
The investigators said that they launched the investigation following an order passed by then Jhalakati additional district judge SKM Tofail Hasan on April 1, 2018 and it was going on.
On April 1, 2018, the court ordered a fresh investigation into the case accepting a petition filed by Lemon’s mother Henoara Begum challenging the police report.
Lemon, now a law graduate and employed with Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust in Dhaka, told New Age on Friday that he and his family members were still fighting for the justice and would continue.
‘I want justice and the state have to take the responsibility for its torture on me,’ said Lemon, adding, ‘if justice is done, it will be an example for all that no offender can be spared.’
On March 23, 2011, battalion personnel shot at Lemon in the left leg near his home at Jamaddarhat of Rajapur in Jhalakati just a fortnight before his Higher Secondary Certificate exams.
Lemon’s left leg was amputated at National Institute for Traumatolgy and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation hospital in Dhaka on March 27, 2011.
The battalion filed two cases on March 23, 2011 accusing him of possessing arms and obstructing law enforcers. 
The police submitted charge sheet against him and he was even indicted.
In the face of protests in home and abroad, the government in July 2013 withdrew the two cases.
On crutches, Lemon moved every door for justice and completed his graduation in law. 
Following the shooting, Lemon’s mother Henoara Begum tried to file a case against six battalion personnel led by deputy assistant director Lutfar Rahman with Rajapur police station but she was refused.
The police later in April 2011 recorded the case following a court order.
The police on August 14, 2012 submitted the final report in the case, claiming that the probe found no evidence and witness.
Henoara then filed an application challenging the police report on August 30, 2012, which was rejected by a senior judicial 
magistrate on February 13, 2013. Then she moved to the district and session’s judge’s court on March 13, 2013.
Her counsel Akkas Sikder said that between March 13, 2013 and 2018, the prosecution took nearly 40 dates for hearing.
Finally, the petition was transferred to the additional district and session’s judge’s court, who after two asked the Police Bureau of Investigation on April 1, 2018 for further investigation into the case.
Bureau special superintendent of police Mizanur Rahman said that they continued the investigation and were not sure when it would be completed. 
He said that they visited the crime scene, spoke to the parents and interrogated the battalion personnel. 
Mizanur declined to specify how many battalion personnel were interrogated in the past one year but claimed that they made progress in the investigation.
Akkas Sikder, however, was not happy with the slow investigation and said that they would continue further legal battle and move to High Court to bring the perpetrators to justice.
He said that the fight was not against any force rather it was against only the six ‘perpetrators.’

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net