Shahadat Hossain's wife arrested; cricketer continues to be in hiding over case of alleged torture

Shahadat Hussain continues to evade the police in connection with the case of alleged torture

Bangladesh fast bowler Shahadat Hussain continued to evade the police even as his wife was arrested in the case of alleged torture of their house maid, NDTV Sports reports. The police arrested Nritto Shahadat from her parent’s house after carrying out a raid based on information that the couple were hiding there, but the cricketer could not be located.

Dhaka police had registered a case against Shahadat and his wife in early September under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act after they were accused of beating and torturing their 11-year-old maid. The cricketer had initially filed a complaint that their housemaid was missing and untraceable, but a local journalist named Khandakar Mozzamel Haque found the maid and took her to Mirpur police station.

The case was registered as the police found injury marks on her body and upon questioning the girl accused that she was being repeatedly tortured by the couple. They had been on the run ever since before the police finally got hold of the cricketer’s wife.

"Nritto Shahadat was arrested from her parents' house," inspector Shafiqur Rahman told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "We conducted a raid at the house as we had information that the couple was hiding there. But we only found her," he said, adding police were still hunting for Hossain.

There had been criticism over the failure of the police to track down the high-profile cricketer, forcing Nazrul Islam, the investigation's senior officer, to come out and defend the police in their efforts.

"We have conducted raids in Shahadat's father's house, and his in-laws' house, Nazrul told BBC last month. "It doesn't matter if he's a national cricketer or not - he's an accused before the eyes of the law. We will track him down and put him before the court."

The 29-year-old who has played 38 Tests and 51 One-Day Internationals for Bangladesh had been suspended by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) after the allegations became public.

"Unless the investigation ends or there is a decision on the matter, BCB doesn't want to keep any attachment with him," BCB president Nazmul Hassan had said at the time confirming that Shahadat will be kept out of cricket until investigation against the fast bowler in connection with the case is completed. "We are quiet, and we will remain quiet. He is more than likely to stay outside cricket. There is no reason to give Shahadat Hossain any leeway, it is quite clear.”