HC upholds death sentences for OC Pradeep, Inspector Liaqat

The High Court has upheld the death sentences of former Teknaf OC Pradeep Kumar Das and Inspector Md. Liaqat Ali in the high-profile murder case of retired Army Major Sinha Md Rashed Khan.

It also upheld the life imprisonment sentences of six other convicts.

A bench comprising Justices Md Mostafizur Rahman and Saghir Hossain delivered the verdict on Thursday (November 20), allowing the convicts 30 days to appeal.

Earlier, on June 2, the same bench had maintained the death and life sentences, along with a Tk 50,000 fine for each convict.

The six other accused whose life sentences were upheld are former sub-inspector Nandadulal Rakshit, constables Rubel Sharma and Sagar Deb, and local residents Nurul Amin, Mohammad Ayaz, and Nizam Uddin from Marishbunia village in Baharchhara, Cox’s Bazar.

Major Sinha was shot dead on 31 July 2020 at Shamlapur Toll Plaza on Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive by Inspector Liaqat Ali. Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, Sinha’s sister, filed the case five days later.

Following the development, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) submitted a charge sheet against 15 accused on 13 December 2020, citing the incident as a premeditated murder.

The Cox’s Bazar district court sentenced Pradeep and Liaqat to death and six others to life imprisonment on 31 January 2022, acquiting seven more accused in the case.

The death reference later reached the High Court, prompting appeals by the convicts.