The CID made simultaneous raids on the houses of Jahangir and Majnu, accused in Ahsanullah murder case, and Sarker's cousin Pappu Sarker, also in vain.

Sarker is notorious as the leader of a local gang of drug-pushers. His house is on Tongi Station Road, Jahangir's in Gopalpur, Majnu's in Morkon and Pappu's in Ouchpara in Tongi.

The raids which many locals termed a 'mere eyewash' began in the noon and ended at 5:00pm.

"I mentioned Sarker's name as the mastermind immediately after the killing, but police has moved to arrest him as long as 26 days after the murder," said a visibly aggrieved Motiur Rahman, Ahsanullah's brother and the complainant of the murder case.

Mahbub, the 14th accused, arrested with two other accused -- Monir and Dulal -- from a North Badda house on May 14, confessed to police of his involvement in the killing and named Sarker as the mastermind of it.

Many of the witnesses also named Sarker as the main plotter of the killing. Some other witnesses said they saw him and two prime suspects Dipu and his brother Tipu dropping the killers from a jeep at Sahara Supermarket near the killing spot two and a half hours before the attack.

"We have raided the houses based on information about their involvement in the incident provided by three arrested accused, suspects, witnesses and the complainant," CID Assistant Superintendent Khalequzzaman told The Daily Star yesterday.

Asked earlier why they were not trying to arrest Sarker, Khalequzzaman had said he did not have enough corroborative evidence to do that.