Main Accused in Sharif Osman Hadi Murder Case Handed Over to India’s NIA

The main accused in the murder of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, Faisal Karim Masud, and his associate Alamgir Hossain have been handed over to India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) by a court in Bidhannagar, West Bengal.

On Monday night, the NIA took them to Delhi on transit remand, where they will be produced before a special NIA court.

Earlier, the NIA sought custody of the two suspects at the Bidhannagar Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate’s Court in North 24 Parganas district. The court approved the request, allowing the agency to take them into its custody for further investigation.

Following their transfer to Delhi, NIA officials will interrogate Faisal and Alamgir, subject to court approval, as part of the ongoing probe into the murder case. Meanwhile, Philip Sangma—who was arrested for allegedly helping the accused flee—has been sent to judicial custody by court order.

Faisal and Alamgir were detained on March 8 from the Bongaon area near the India-Bangladesh border by the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police. They were initially arrested on charges of illegal entry and remanded for 14 days for questioning. After the remand period, they were produced in court, which on March 22 ordered that they be held in judicial custody for 12 days.

While being taken to court that day, Faisal told journalists, “I did not commit this act. I was not involved in such activities.” When asked whether he had been framed, he declined to respond.

Sharif Osman Hadi, convener of Inquilab Mancha, was shot in Dhaka on December 12 last year. During the police investigation, the name of former banned Chhatra League leader Faisal Karim Masud emerged. Intelligence officials said that Faisal and Alamgir were on the motorcycle used in the attack.