Rizwanur Rahman

The three policemen accused in the Rizwanur Rahman case had pressured him to sever all links with wife Priyanka, driving him to suicide, the CBI told a city court on Monday.

The cops — Ajoy Kumar, Sukanti Chakraborty and Krishnedu Das — were acting for Priyanka’s father Ashok Todi, the CBI told the ninth city sessions judge, Amit Chatterjee, on the first day of the trial. It said it had enough evidence to substantiate the claim.

The CBI has charged Ashok, his brother Pradip, relative Anil Saraogi, the Rahmans’ family friend, Pappu, and the three cops under Section 306 of the IPC for abetting the suicide. All seven accused were present in Bankshall court.

“Without receiving any written complaint from Ashok Todi, Priyanka’s father, these three officers had harassed Rizwanur. So the police officers are equally responsible for his death,” said CBI lawyer Partha Sarathi Tapasyi.

“The Todis and the police officers had pushed Rizwanur to commit suicide. On August 31, 2007, Priyanka wrote to her father, informing him that she had married Rizwanur. From that date, the police had started torturing him mentally. The young man got frustrated and committed suicide.”

Ajoy and Sukanti had allegedly summoned the young couple to Lalbazar and “advised” Priyanka to return to her parents.

Public prosecutor Ganesh Maity said there was “no question of abetment” by the police. “These three officers had done their duty. Priyanka had gone missing from her home. The police traced her to the Park Circus home of Rizwanur Rahman. The police were active only till September 13, 2007 — the day she returned to her parents. But Rizwanur’s body was found from the railway tracks on September 21,” he argued.

The judge adjourned the hearing till March 23, when the lawyer for the Todis will present his submission.