Banani rape: Cops allowed for DNA test of Nayem

Staff Correspondent: A court in Dhaka has allowed police to conduct DNA test of Nayem Ashraf alias Halim, one of the five accused in a case filed over allegedly raping two female university students in The Raintree Hotel in the capital’s Banani area.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Delwar Hossain passed the order after hearing on Sunday.

The court directed the forensic department of Police of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to carry out the DNA test of Nayem Ashraf.

Earlier on Saturday, Ismot Ara Ame, sub-inspector (SI) of the Women Support and Investigation Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and the investigation officer of the case, filed an application with the court seeking permission for a forensic test of different samples seized.

Meanwhile, the court today also allowed police to conduct a forensic test on mobile phones of Ahmed Shafat and Shadman Sakif, the main accused of Banani rape case following an application.

Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Md Delwar Hossain passed the order after investigation officer of the case Inspector Ismot Ara Ame filed the application seeking permission to conduct the forensic test on five mobile phones and a power bank.

Earlier, Safat Ahmed, son of an owner of Apan Jewellers and Shadman Sakif, a friend of Safat, were arrested from a house in Sylhet following the rape case. Safat is said to be one of the prime accused in the case.

A Dhaka court on Friday (12 May) placed Safat Ahmed on a 6-day police custody while Sadman Sakif on 5-day for interrogation in the rape case.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-10) on May 15 arrested Billal, the third accused from Dhaka city’s Nababpur area in connection with the rape case while Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Rahmat Ali, the bodyguard who is accused in the case for aiding the rape of girls at gunpoint, from Gulshan in a joint drive in the evening.

The court on May 16 placed Rahamat on a three-day remand while Safat Ahmed’s driver Billal on four-day remand.

One of the rape victims filed a case with Banani Police Station on May 6 accusing five people.

Of the accused, Safat Ahmed and Nayem Ashraf were sued for raping the two female university students while Sadman Sakif, Safat’s driver Billal and his bodyguard Rahamat Ali for abetting in the crime.

According to the case statement, the plaintiff along with her friend went to a residential hotel at Banani to attend the birthday party of Safat at about 9:00pm on March 28.

The two prime accused — Safat and Nayem — confined them to two rooms of the hotel at gunpoint after the rooftop birthday party was over at midnight. The two girls were made to drink liquor before being raped. Safat raped the plaintiff while Nayem her friend.

Safat’s driver Billal filmed the incident, she said in the FIR adding that they got introduced with Safat and Nayem through Sadman Sakif.

risingbd/DHAKA/May 21, 2017/Mamun Khan/Amirul