Interpol Red Notices Ordered For Tonu Murder Suspects

A judicial order has been issued to publish Interpol Red Notices against two prime suspects in the high-profile murder case of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student and theatre activist of Comilla Victoria Government College. The First Cognizance Court of Comilla Senior Judicial Magistrate, presided over by Judge Mominul Haque, passed the directive on Monday, 8 June.

The legal mandate directly targets two former military personnel, identified as retired Sergeant Zahiduzzaman and former army soldier Shahin Alam, who are currently evading the authorities. Investigating bodies have confirmed that Shahin Alam has fled the jurisdiction of Bangladesh and is currently residing in Kuwait, whilst the precise location of retired Sergeant Zahiduzzaman remains unknown at this stage.

Investigation Insights and Evidence Gathering

The issuance of the international arrest warrants followed critical investigative breakthroughs achieved during the custodial interrogation of Mohammed Hafizur Rahman. Rahman, a former Warrant Officer attached to the Static Signals unit at the Comilla Cantonment and a native of Hogra village in Tangail Sadar, is presently the sole arrested individual in connection with the murder. He remains incarcerated at the Comilla Central Jail.

According to formal judicial records, interrogation sessions conducted with Hafizur Rahman yielded substantial and vital information concerning the logistics and execution of the homicide. Furthermore, the prosecution presented definitive evidence and witness statements establishing the physical presence and direct complicity of the prime suspects, Zahiduzzaman and Shahin Alam, at the crime scene during the time of the fatal assault.

Recognising the flight risk and the foreign evasion of the suspects, Judge Mominul Haque explicitly directed the principal Investigation Officer (IO) of the case, Police Inspector Tarikul Islam, to execute all necessary procedural arrangements. This mandate requires the officer to secure formal arrest warrants and liaise with international law enforcement portals to enforce Interpol Red Notices, ensuring both fugitives are repatriated to face domestic judicial prosecution.

Remand Timeline and Custodial History

The procedural history of the sole detained suspect reveals that on 22 April, the Investigation Officer, Police Inspector Tarikul Islam, presented Mohammed Hafizur Rahman before the court of Mominul Haque with a formal prayer seeking a seven-day police remand. Following a detailed judicial hearing, the court granted a three-day remand for the former military officer.

Upon the conclusion of the court order, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) transferred Rahman to their specialised interrogation facility situated in Kalyanpur, Dhaka, for intensive questioning. At the expiration of his remand period on 25 April, the suspect was brought back before the Comilla court, which subsequently ordered his immediate transfer to the Comilla Central Jail.

During the most recent court fixture on Monday, the PBI Investigation Officer confirmed that Rahman was produced before the bench in compliance with regular scheduling. The magistrate directed that the suspect be returned to the Comilla Central Jail, a measure described by Inspector Tarikul Islam as a routine aspect of the ongoing criminal trial. The investigator reiterated that active law enforcement operations are concurrently being executed to trace and capture the remaining fugitives.

Background of the Homicide Case

The origins of the legal case date back to 20 March 2016, when Sohagi Jahan Tonu left her residence inside the Comilla Cantonment area during the evening to attend a private tutoring session. Concerns were raised when she failed to return home within her expected timeframe. Following an extensive search conducted by family members and local authorities, her deceased body was discovered concealed within a roadside bush located a short distance away from the power house inside the Comilla Cantonment boundaries.