Bring back Ruby for testimony: Mother

Salman Shah's mother Neela Chowdhury has demanded bringing of Rabeya Sultana Ruby back from the United States to take her statement for murder case of Shahriar Chowdhury Emon, also known as Salman Shah. The mystery over Salman Shah's death, two decades ago, took a new turn after one of the suspects Rabeya Sulana Ruby claimed that Salman did not kill himself but was murdered indeed.

Rabeya Sultana Ruby in a viral video message alleged that her brother was part of the 'plot' and murdered Salman at the behest of her Chinese husband and the family of Samira Haq, the actor's wife. After hearing her video message, Neela Chowdhury talked over telephone with a local media, "Every criminal tries to confess their crime for at least once in their lifetime. Ruby's statement is the proof."

"The manner she gave the statement cannot be that of a mad person. She herself wants to come here and give her statement. I request our government to bring back Ruby to Dhaka and take her deposition. This demand is not only mine but also of the sixteen crore people of Bangladesh," she added.

The accusations by Ruby, who was Salman's neighbor and 'beautician', are being treated seriously by the Police Bureau of Investigation or PBI, which was ordered by court to launch a fresh probe into the actor's death in December last year.

Shahriar Chowdhury Emon, known as Salman Shah to his numerous fans, was found dead in his Dhaka apartment on September 6 of 1996. Police had filed a case of unnatural death considering it a suicide, but Salman's family objected to it and lodged a murder case. Salman's father Kamar Uddin had started the case, but after his death in 2002, mother Neela Chowdhury emerged as the plaintiff.

Ruby, currently living in Pennsylvania, is among the 11 people accused in a petition filed by Salman's mother who rejected police's report for suicide. The dead actor's wife Samira is also a suspect."Salman Shah didn't kill himself. Salman Shah was murdered and my husband got my brother to do it. Samira's family got my husband to do this. And all of them were Chinese," Ruby said in a video statement.

She claimed that she was in renewed danger after the revival of the case over Salman's death. She is the "last person with detailed knowledge of the star's death", and could testify in court.    But Samira's father Shafiq-ul-Haq has rejected her claims.

In a comment to a local media, he said, "What Ruby is saying is incorrect. And her reason for making such statements is unclear. Several agencies have investigated into Salman's death. So, why didn't she tell them then?"  
He spoke of his willingness to assist the investigation.

But Ruby claimed her life was in danger. "I have fled here (US). They are trying to kill me. I don't know what I will do, but I know this much that Salman didn't kill himself."  "We are looking for the woman in this video. She is an important witness because she lived in that building. This woman named Ruby was his beautician," said PBI Special Superintendent Abul Kalam Azad. 
 
Salman's mother Neela Chowdhury, a former Jatiya Party politician, had found hopes in getting justice for his son after the PBI were asked to investigate into his death. "For us, this order provides a tiny source of light amid endless darkness," she had told bdnews24.com. The case's prosecutors were being controlled by the defendants, she had earlier claimed.

In a Facebook status on Monday, Neela, currently in UK, said, "My fellow citizens, please help me. See Ruby's confession. See how Salman was murdered." She urged authorities to stop the suspects from fleeing the country.

Meanwhile, PBI's Azad said the docket he received does not contain many important evidences.  "Many agencies have investigated into this case for a long period but there are documents here for just four witnesses. There is supposed to be more. There has never been a longer inquiry over unnatural death. Much evidence is lost. The important witnesses have left the country or were sent away."

The PBI have collected some evidence after getting the case's jurisdiction, and have spoken to some witnesses, he said. There is hope for a breakthrough, but the detective asked for time.

Besides Samira and Ruby, the complaint filed by Salman's mother Neela accuses Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Samira's mother Latifa Haq Lucy, Rizvi Ahmed aka Farhad, assistant dance director Nazrul Sheikh, 'David', Ashraful Haq Don, Mostak Waid, Abul Hossain Khan and domestic help Monowara Begum.

Fans of the hugely popular star have shared doubts that the actor had killed himself, and several groups have been active to demand justice for him over the decades.