Court Orders Exhumation of Actor Salman Shah’s Remains for New Autopsy in Murder Probe
A Dhaka metropolitan court has granted permission to exhume the remains of renowned film actor Salman Shah to determine the definitive cause of his death, nearly three decades after he passed away. The order was issued by Magistrate Jewel Rana on May 24, following a petition filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police.
Sub-Inspector Shah Alam of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s prosecution division confirmed the development on Wednesday. The investigation, led by CID Inspector Md. Ziaul Morshed, seeks to conduct a fresh autopsy and prepare a new inquest report, a process that will require the appointment of an executive magistrate to oversee the exhumation of the body from the graveyard adjacent to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet.
The legal action stems from a murder case filed by the actor’s maternal uncle, Mohammad Alamgir Kumkum, on behalf of Salman Shah’s mother, Neela Chowdhury. The case was lodged at the Ramna Police Station last October, shifting the focus from the initial unnatural death filing that followed the actor’s demise on September 6, 1996.
According to the case records, Salman Shah’s family had initially been informed that the actor was sleeping when they visited his New Eskaton residence. Hours later, they were notified of a sudden deterioration in his condition. He was subsequently pronounced dead after being transported to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. For years, the circumstances surrounding his death have been the subject of intense public speculation and controversy.
The ongoing murder investigation names several individuals as suspects, including the actor's former wife, Samira Haque, along with her mother, Latifa Haque Lucy, and several industry figures and associates, such as Aziz Mohammad Bhai, the actor Don, and others linked to the case. Law enforcement officials maintained that the exhumation and a subsequent medical review are essential steps to ensure a thorough investigation into the nearly 29-year-old mystery.
