Anisur Rahman, 27, organising secretary of ward No. 47 unit of the ruling BNP's student wing and a Dhaka City Corporation contractor, succumbed to his fatal wounds 53 hours into his admission to the hospital.

The local lawmaker from Dhanmondi-Mohammadpur constituency, Khondker Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, told The Daily Star last night after seeing the JCD leader at the hospital that he was in no way a criminal and he was the victim of a conspiracy.

The latest death pushes the number of casualties in Rab custody or shootout with the elite crime-busting force to 30.

Anisur's family said they are preparing to file a case against the Rab personnel for the killing.

A team of Rab-4 arrested Anisur and his friends Rubel and Jahangir in front of Chhata Mosque near the victim's house at Rayerbazar at 2:30am Friday when they came out of the mosque after saying Lailatul Barat prayers, the family said.

"They were drinking Coke at an adjacent shop when Rab men huddled them onto a van although they claimed innocence," Anisur's brother Ekhlasur Rahman told The Daily Star last night.

The Rab men took the three to their Mohammadpur office and beat them up. "They broke his legs there before taking him to Mirpur Rab office the following day," said Ekhlasur.

"Rab men beat him there again, damaging his kidneys and took him to the hospital when his condition deteriorated."

While admitting an unconscious Anisur to the DMCH at 5:45pm Saturday, Sub-Inspector Ali Hossain of Rab-4 said that Anisur fell unconscious as he was frightened and that he was a criminal.

Relatives alleged Anisur was killed as part of a conspiracy plotted by some locals who were eager to settle scores with the family since the last Dhaka City Corporation elections.