Online Desk: A Dhaka court today framed charges against five people, including Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Salim’s son Mohammad Erfan Salim in a case filed over the assault and attempted murder of a Navy officer in October 2020. Before that, the court issued an arrest warrant against Erfan Salim as his lawyer submitted a time petition to appear before the court. Erfan was absent during the hearing.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman turned down the petition and set March 6 for starting trial in the case. Four other accused are Erfan’s bodyguard Zahidul Mollah, his chauffeur Mizanur Rahman, protocol officer of Madina Group AB Siddique Dipu and accomplice Kazi Ripon. Of them, Zahidul is now in jail while Mizanur Rahman and Dipu are on bail, and Kazi Ripon is on the run, said Erfan Salim’s lawyer Pran Nath.

Zahidul, Mizanur Rahman and Dipu pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the court read out the charges to them. On February 11, 2021, Mominul Haque, sub-inspector of Detective Branch of police, also investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka. According to the case filed by navy officer Wasif, an SUV, with the plate “Dhaka Metro-Gha 11-5736”, rear-ended his motorcycle in the capital’s Dhanmondi when he and his wife were returning to their Dhaka Cantonment home from Nilkhet around 7:45pm on October 25 of 2020.

A man then stepped out of the SUV and verbally abused them and left the spot. When the vehicle stopped at a traffic light, officer Wasif knocked on its window and introduced himself. After that, the occupants of the vehicle stepped out and started hurling abuse and assaulting him, the complainant said. When the navy officer’s wife tried to save him, they also assaulted her and left the scene, abandoning the vehicle, the complaint added.