On this day two years ago, miscreants killed two brothers one after another in Mohammadpur area of the city. But till date, police could not arrest the principal accused in the sensational double murder case though local people say he is seen roaming around freely in the area.

The principal accused -- Kamal Pasha-- who went into hiding after the killings returned to his house in Mohammadpur a few months ago and is staying there since then, locals said.

Allegedly backed by some ruling party men in the area, Pasha repeatedly threatened the victims' family not to try for his arrest.

Bereaved parents of the victims -- Syed Ashraf Hossain Jewel, 27 and Syed Mohammad Rivel, 24-- still await justice for the killing of their sons. Jewel and Rivel were sons of Amjad Hossain, a senior journalist and former editor of the monthly Detective, a law enforcement agency's monthly publication.

When contacted yesterday, a top police official said they could not arrest Pasha because he is 'closely linked' with ruling BNP leaders of the area. "We can arrest him only when ordered by the higher authorities," he added, requesting anonymity.

According to newspaper reports following the double murder, Kamal Pasha, who is an FIR-listed accused in many criminal cases including some for murders, went to the residence of Amjad Hossain in a hijacked private car in the morning of May 5, 2000 and called Jewel. As Rivel, an HSC student, came out, Pasha asked him to get into the car. He was taken to a nearby place and shot dead by Pasha.

Then he came back to the house again and called out Jewel, a field worker of Proshika, for an 'urgent need'. He was taken to a place at Lalmatia where Pasha gunned him down. The two killings took place within 15 minutes.

Amjad Hossain had filed a murder case with Mohammadpur thana accusing Pasha of the killing. The then Officer in Charge of Mohammadpur thana SM Newazi submitted charge sheet in the case accusing Pasha and driver of the hijacked car Mahbub. Police then arrested the driver and after interrogation, sent him to Dhaka Central Jail.

According to police, there are at least seven cases against Pasha four murder cases and three under the arms act-- filed with different thanas in the city. He is an FIR-listed accused in the four cases for murder of Shamim, Masud, Ashique and Palash. The first two were killed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Asique, a conctractor was killed at Shahbagh and Palash was murdered in Mohammadpur area.

It may be recalled that the family of the victims held a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club in December last year and appealed to the prime minister to ensure justice. They alleged that charge sheet in the case was made 'as wanted' by the then Awami League Lawmaker Haji Mockbul Hossain and demanded reinvestigation into the case.