Rape accused Tripura official sent to 14 days judicial custody

A local court in Tripura on Saturday sent, to 14 days judicial custody, a senior state government official arrested on charges of rape.

Absconding Tripura Civil Service officer Panna Ahmed, 44, who was arrested from a house in Assam's Karimganj on Tuesday, was presented next day in a local court, which sent him to three days police custody.

"After three days police custody and thorough interrogation, police today (Saturday) presented him in the first class judicial magistrate court and the court sent him 14 days judicial custody," West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS.

He said that senior police officials would further interrogate Ahmed about the incident and police are also looking for two locals who helped him to flee to Assam.

Immediately after the reported crime, the Tripura government had suspended the civil service official, who was a sub-divisional magistrate in Sonamura sub-division of Sepahijala district.

"The state government had recently requested the Union Home Ministry for issuance of a red corner notice to track Ahmed," Saptarshi said.

A Muslim woman, mother of two children, filed an FIR with the West Agartala police station here on June 27 that Ahmed called her to his private residence here and raped her.

Opposition Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress have been holding protest demonstrations at Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar's official residence and other places in the state almost daily since June 27.

Ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist's State Secretary Bijan Dhar told the media that the officer should be punished if found guilty.

--IANS

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