25 Jun 2012: Chowdhury 5th witness cross exam 1

After the Sayedee witness cross examination, the tribunal then continued with the cross-examination of Prafulla Ranjon Sinha a witness in the Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury trial, undertaken by defense lawyer Ahsanul-haq-hena (continued from 21 June)

Defence: Did you supply bottles for making Molotov cocktail to the Chittagong University during non-cooperation movement.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Did your father send any information to the Chittagong University through you that if they want they can come at Kundeswary?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Farhad Quder Chowdhury wife of Sallah Uddin Quder Chowdhury filed a defamatory suit against you claiming 500 cores in the 4th Joint District Judges Court, Dhaka.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: In this case you and Chairman of the ATN Bangla Mr. Mahfujur Rahman was the defendant.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: You had appointed lawyer on behalf of you through Vokalatnama.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: You did not submit any written statement yet, though date has been fixed 9 times.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: When was the charge sheet was given of that case filed on 4. 01.72?

Witness: In 1973.

Defence: What happened in this case from 1973 to august 1975?

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Did you take any steps from 1976 to 2001?

Witness: I do not take any steps.

Defence: Did you file any case before personally regarding this crime against humanity?

Witness: No.

Defence: How many times Investigation Officer came to your house?

Witness: 2 times.

Defence: Would you please tell us the date when investigation officer recorded your statement?

Witness: I can not remember.

Defence: Did you come in Dhaka to give your statement?

Witness: No, I gave my statement at my house in Chittagong.

Defence: Who was with you when you were giving your statement?

Witness: My brother Gowranga sen was with me.

Defence: Did investigation officer read out the statement before you which has been recorded.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Whose statements had been recorded first?

Witness: It has been recorded simultaneously.

Defence: Would you please tell me whether there was one Investigation officer or more?

Witness: Yes, there is only one I.O.

Defence: You would have stayed at the first floor at the same building whereas your father resided at the ground floor.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: How many rooms are the first floor?

Witness: There are 9 rooms.

Defence: How many rooms were yours and how many rooms were yours brother at that time?

Witness: I had two rooms, my brother had two rooms, Gowrango Sen had 1 room, Bhu-pati had 1 room, one was guest room, one was study room and another was worship room.
Defence: Whose room was exactly above your father’s room?

Witness: It was worship room.

Defence: Who was living at the room next to the worship room?

Witness: My brother Sotto Ranjon Sinha was living at the next room.

Defence: Which room was next to these two rooms?

Witness: My and my son’s room was the next.

Defence: During the Liberation War, you had left all things of your house while you were going to India?

Witness: Yes, we had left all these things.

Defence: All valuable things also?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Did you lock those rooms at the time of going?

Witness: May be I have locked those rooms.

Defence: Where was gold, money of your father kept?

Witness: In my father’s room.

Defence: During Liberation war Pakistan Government confiscated all notes (paper made money).

Witness: Yes.

Defence: When?

Witness: I cannot remember.

Defence: Did you know that the Pakistan Army came from the Rangamati and Chittagong at that day?

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Colonel Hatemi (Panjab Ragiment) came from Rangamati and Colonel Juberi and Colonel Bachsi Khan (Beluch Regiment) from the Cantonment.

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Pakistan Army had come to Kundeswary under whose leadership?

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Did you know how many posts are needed to cross to become a Brigadier from major?

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Doyou know the age of being a major or being a brigadier?

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Do you know it is punishable offences if someone claims himself as major or brigadier?

Witness: Yes, I know but someone claimed themselves as major or brigadier.

Defence: Who said?

Witness: I do not know specifically it was said by whom.

Defence: Did Sallah Uddin Quder Chowdhury tell it to you that he was the major or brigadier?

Witness: I did not meet with him before 1978.

Defence: Did you show the place to the Investigation Officer where Pakistan Army was standing as per saying of the witness.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Did you show to the Investigation officer the room of your father.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Did you show the Jungle where the witness hid?

Witness: Yes, I have shown but jungle of that time and this time is not same.

Defence: You did not show the I.O the room of Natun Babu, place where the army was standing and the jungle.

Witness: It is not true.

Defence: Did you show the first floor to the Investigation Officer from where witnesses had seen the incident?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Did I.O make any map?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: In which place these 5 persons were talking with the Natun Babu?

Witness: In front of the temple.

Defence: In which room witnesses saw that incident?

Witness: Store room.

Defence: Did you show that store room to the I.O?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: There was no window on the first floor which was temple facing?

Witness: It is not true. Basically it had been seen from a room which was in the east side of the first floor of the separate building.

Defence: Home of the Abdullah-al-harun was in Chiddaire.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Chiddaire is a Union.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: In Chittagong his house is situated in Ishawr Nandi lane which is behind the Didar market.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: His lives in a rental house.

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Before 1971, he was not the owner of any newspaper.

Witness: Yes, he was not.

Defence: After the Liberation War, he published a newspaper which was named as “Daily Shadhinota” which was situated at Siraj-ud-dullah Road.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Before 1971 this newspaper was known as Azan but after liberation war this was known as “Daily Shadhinota” Basically Daily Newspapers azan was illegally possessed by Abdullah-al-harun.

Witness: It was published in the name of Shadhinota but whether it was possessed by him or not, I do not know.

Defence: When did Mr. Noman tell you to go in India?

Witness: 11th April.

Defence: What time was it?

Witness: Around 4’o clock.

Defence: Did you ask Mr. Noman from whom he had heard that you were not safe?

Witness: No, I did not ask.

Defence: Who were going with you?

Witness: Mr. Noman and Farhad.

Defence: Did you go India before that time?

Witness: Yes I and Mr. M.A Hannan went to Ramghar before that time to see the conditions of road.

Defence: How much time it took to reach at Ramghar from your house?

Witness: I cannot remember.

Defence: How much time it took to go at Ramgahr from the Nanupur?

Witness: I do not know.

Defence: Did you ask Mr.Noman before independence about your father’s death?

Witness: No, I did not ask as he knows it earlier. But I have talked with him in this matter in Agortola.

Defence: Did Mr. Noman tell you from whom he had heard it?

Witness: He said me the incident elaborately but from whom he had heard it he did not tell.

Thus the cross-examination is completed

Jusice Nizam: Mr. Hena when cross will be completed.

Hena: My, I need two half days to complete.

Justice Nizam: Please complete it in one half.

Hena: I will try.

Thus the court is adjourned.