The IO, Sub-Inspector Khalilur Rahman, submitted the petition to Magistrate Azimuddin of Cognisable Court No 1 seeking permission to drop the name of Imon, 6, from the case recorded on Wednesday night without any preliminary investigation.

According to Jessore Court Inspector Dinabandhu Das, Khalil in his petition mentioned that investigations have found Imon a minor boy and innocent, and cannot be implicated in the case. But his age was not mentioned in the FIR lodged by the plaintiff, Jessore BNP leader Abul Kalam Shamsuddin, Khalil added in his submission.

All family members of Jessore Krishak League leader SM Abdur Rob including his son Imon and a college-going daughter were accused in the FIR recorded with the consent of Kotwali PS Officer-in-Charge Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal. The implication of a six-year-old in a rape case triggered widespread indignation among the masses and even the senior police officials.

The prime accused in the case, Abdur Rob, went to court on Thursday noon with Imon in his lap to seek bail. But the bail petition could not be moved that day as office hours had already expired and it was not moved yesterday, too, as the accused did not come to court, Inspector Dinabandhu said.

According to a source, an inquiry has been initiated into why OC Mostafa Kamal gave permitted recording the FIR without any preliminary investigation, while a Kotwali SI said on condition of anonymity that Kamal has been asked to show cause his role in this regard.

But neither Jessore Police Super Shahidul Islam nor OC Kamal could be reached over phone for their comments and confirmation yesterday.