Khulna:An alleged associate of the notorious criminal Ershad Sikder, Zainal Sardar, who had been on the run for 27 years, has been arrested. Zainal, a fugitive convict sentenced to life imprisonment in a high-profile murder case, was captured by a joint team of SRB-6 and SRB-8 in the Sonadanga area of Khulna city around 1050 pm on Saturday.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Zainal, 55, is the son of the late Ahammad Ali Sardar from Bongkura village under Gouranadi Police Station in Barishal district. He was convicted in a murder case filed with Rupsha Police Station in Khulna in 1999, where he and seven others, including Ershad Sikder, were accused.
Following the trial, Zainal was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000, with an additional one year in jail if the fine was not paid. He was also sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 5,000 for concealing the body after the murder, with an additional six months in jail for non-payment of the fine. After the verdict, Zainal allegedly evaded arrest by changing his identity and appearance.
The SRB stated that Zainal has been handed over to Sonadanga Model Police Station in Khulna for further legal proceedings.