Police Find Preliminary Evidence Linking Friend Deep to Former Air Force Officer Tahsif's Death, Four Days Remand

Police say they have found preliminary evidence linking Ahmed Shahriar Reza Deep to the death of his friend, former Air Force officer K M Tahsif Sauri. The progress in the investigation was reported after Tahsif's body was recovered from the Rajabari Ghat area of the Turag River in Tongi.

Abdullah Al Mamun, superintendent of Naval Police for the Dhaka region, told the media that some preliminary evidence of Deep's involvement in Tahsif Sauri's death had been found. Deep will be interrogated in more detail on remand, he said, adding that more could not be disclosed at this moment for the sake of the investigation.

Earlier on Saturday, October 31, when Deep was produced before a court, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Hasib Ullah Pias ordered him to be placed on four days' remand.

An official involved in the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said CCTV footage collected from various places showed Tahsif was with Deep from 6:30 in the evening until 1:30 at night on the day of the incident. During that time Deep took Tahsif to the Mazar Basti area of Tongi. But Deep returned from there alone.

The official said the matter has raised many questions. Information from preliminary interrogation also points to Deep's involvement. In addition, the police forwarding application presented to the court on Saturday also mentioned Deep's involvement.

The application signed by Firoz Uddin, inspector of the Tongi Naval Police outpost, said preliminary investigation was yielding information and evidence linking the suspect Deep to the killing. He needs to be kept detained until the investigation ends; if released, the investigation of the case could be hampered, the application said.

Earlier on the night of October 29, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) took Deep into custody from a house on Babar Road in Mohammadpur. Later, deep at night on October 30, Tahsif's father K M Enayetul Karim filed a murder case at Uttarkhan police station against unidentified persons. Deep was then shown arrested in that case.

Tahsif's father Enayetul Karim told journalists at his own home in Uttara on Saturday that Deep often came to their house and was in regular contact with Tahsif.

He said that during the PBI investigation Deep admitted they had gone to Tongi. But Deep had earlier told him that he had dropped Tahsif at their house compound. He does not know who was involved or who did what, but Deep's statements have raised questions, he said.

Enayetul Karim also said Tahsif was sociable and always came forward to help others. They cannot accept in any way that such an incident happened to such a boy. He expressed hope that the real truth will come out.

Earlier on the afternoon of October 28, Tahsif's body was recovered from the Rajabari Ghat area of the Turag River in Tongi. He had been missing since the previous day.

In CCTV footage captured shortly before he went missing, Tahsif Sauri was seen leaving on a motorcycle with a young man. Family members identified that young man as Tahsif's 'junior friend' Deep.

The day after Deep was taken into custody on the night of October 29, law enforcement agencies visited the scene with him. At one stage, the PBI recovered a motorcycle without a number plate from an area related to the scene.

Those concerned said the investigation is continuing to find the real cause of Tahsif's death and who was involved in it.