Police have sought to clear marketing professional and actor Iresh Zaker of charges in the case filed over the killing of BNP activist Mahfuz Alam Shraban, linked to the July uprising.

According to the investigation officer of the case, Iresh, who had been named as accused number 157, was found to have no evidence linking him to the incident.

Police have also sought to clear former cabinet secretary Mahbub Hossain and Bangladesh Insurance Forum President BM Yousuf Ali in the same case. Apart from the three, the investigator has appealed to the court to relieve 16 other accused.

The 16 include Forethought PR Managing Director Ikram Moin Chowdhury, Popular Life Insurance Company Ltd Additional Managing Director BM Shawkat Ali, Tiger IT Chairman Ziaur Rahman, Patuakhali district Awami League Vice President Shahjalal Bachchu, Gani Ahmad, Alomgir Shamsul Arefin Kajol, Mahtabur Rahman, Kazi Saifuddin Monir, Osman Haider, Mohammad Manik, Kazi Akter Hamid, Iftakharul Alam Moloy, Mahfuzul Haque, Rezaul Karim, Shahriar Kabir Biplob and SM Delwar Hossain.

Investigation Officer Sazzad Roman, inspector of Mirpur Model Police Station, filed three separate interim investigation reports with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court between October 9 and 16 under section 173A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.

When approached for comments, Sazzad told The Daily Star, "In primary investigation, no evidence was found linking them to the incident. So, they have been exempted from the case. If any evidence against them is found in the future, the charge sheet will be submitted accordingly."

The interim reports mentioned that no eyewitnesses or specific evidence confirmed the presence of the 19 individuals at the scene, and no still images or video footage were recovered showing them at the location during the incident.

The case was filed by Shraban's brother, Mostafizur Rahman Bappy, a trader from Naogaon, on March 27 this year. Following court directives, Mirpur police registered it as a First Information Report on April 20. The case accuses ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 406 others of involvement in Shraban's killing in Mirpur on August 5 last year.

The inclusion of Iresh Zaker in the case had sparked widespread criticism across the country, with many netizens highlighting his active role in the July movement.

The list of accused in the case includes 24 journalists, at least 36 former ministers and state ministers, more than 41 former Awami League lawmakers, six former advisers to Hasina, businesspersons from seven major groups, five former election commissioners, three former Bangladesh Bank officials, Supreme Court lawyers, doctors, and at least 77 police personnel, including six former inspectors general of police.