In the Salman Shah murder case, one of the accused, Rizvi Ahmed alias Farhad, confessed to his involvement and sought to become a state approver in 1997.
On July 24, 1997, Rizvi gave a confessional statement under Section 164 before the court, admitting that the actor was killed in exchange for Tk12 lakh, arranged by Salman’s mother-in-law.
The details of his confession came to light through court sources on Friday.
According to his statement, Tk6 lakh was paid before the murder and the remaining Tk6 lakh afterward.
Rizvi also stated that two individuals—Don and David—had planned to abduct Salman Shah’s brother, Biltu, to pressure the family into withdrawing the murder case. However, while attempting to carry out the plan, Rizvi was arrested on July 19, 1997, and later made his confession in court.
He further said that in the early 1990s, he would occasionally visit Dhaka and go to the Film Development Corporation (FDC), where he became acquainted with actor Don, and later with David and Faruk.
Don, once a close friend of Salman Shah, had developed a secret intimate relationship with Salman’s wife, Samira. Meanwhile, Samira’s mother was also involved in an intimate relationship with film producer Aziz Mohammad Bhai.
Due to these affairs, Salman Shah began distancing himself from Don.
Murder plan at a Gulistan bar
On September 5, 1996, Rizvi went to FDC but did not find Don there. After waiting for about an hour, he met him, and at around 8pm, Don, David, Faruk, Javed, and Rizvi went to a bar near Gulistan.
Don called two others, Sattar and Saju, to join them.
Faruk then took out Tk2 lakh and said that Samira’s mother had provided the money.
He added that the total payment for killing Salman Shah was Tk12 lakh, with Tk6 lakh to be paid before and Tk6 lakh after the killing.
A dispute arose between Don and Faruk over the initial payment, but Faruk later brought Tk4 lakh more.
At the bar, Don cut a plastic rope in half, tied one part around his waist under a black jacket, and gave the other part to Faruk.
They organized their weapons and materials — money, syringe, and revolver.
Rizvi said Samira’s mother and Aziz Mohammad Bhai had jointly contacted Don and Faruk to arrange the murder.
Salman Shah was killed before Fajr prayer
That night, they went from Gulistan to FDC and, according to their plan, left at around 2:30am.
Don drove the car to Salman Shah’s Eskaton residence, where the gatekeeper, already familiar with them, allowed entry.
On the way up, Don knocked on the door of one Ruby, who opened it wearing a nightgown. Don asked where Aziz Bhai was, and Aziz soon came out of the bathroom.
Together, except Ruby, they went up in the lift. Aziz got off on the 4th floor, while the others went to the 11th floor, to Salman’s flat.
Upon entering, they found Salman lying in the bedroom, and Samira was not there.
Don, David, Javed, and Faruk pounced on Salman.
Faruk took out a chloroform bottle and handed it to Samira, who pressed it over Salman’s nose. Don sat on Salman’s chest and told Faruk to call Aziz Mohammad Bhai. Faruk went out and returned with Aziz. Samira’s mother came out of the dressing room.
As the scuffle continued, they failed to inject him because of Salman’s strength.
They then dragged him into the dressing room, tied his legs, and Aziz ordered Don to administer the injection. The syringe contained no medicine. Samira pushed the syringe, assisted by her mother.
Before that, Aziz threw a fan at Salman’s neck, according to Rizvi. When Salman became motionless, Aziz asked Rizvi to bring a ladder, tied the rope from Don’s waist to the ceiling fan, and they all helped stage the scene as a suicide by partially hanging the body.
The household staff were confined separately in the drawing room and bathroom. Samira and her mother also applied oil and wet cloths to Salman’s body to make it appear as if he had committed suicide.
Afterwards, they all escaped through the back gate. As their car reached Gabtoli bus stand, the Fajr prayer call was heard. Rizvi then went to Faridpur.
Rizvi’s arrest
The following year, on July 4, 1997, Don and David went to Rizvi’s home in Faridpur and later met at a hotel named Sugandha.
Don told him that the case had resurfaced and that he needed to help them since he had been involved.
A new plan was made to kidnap Salman’s younger brother, Biltu, by posing as Lenin, son of the late filmmaker Alamgir Kabir, who was Rizvi’s uncle.
On July 19, 1997, Rizvi went to Salman’s parents’ home pretending to be Lenin.
However, Salman’s parents became suspicious and informed the police, who then arrested Rizvi.
