Vital clues found, one more held, DB says

The incident took place at Rajoir on October 2 when the money was being sent from Sonali Bank's main branch in Madaripur to its Shibchar branch. Twelve Sonali Bank staff were held after the incident.

DB sources here said 12 persons in two gangs, one from Jessore and the other from Madaripur, were involved in the dacoity.

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Ashraful Islam of RN Road at Jessore was the mastermind.

Shahidul Islam Shahid, of Mostofapur union in Madaripur Sadar was the 'second-in-command'. After the dacoity, the booty was distributed among the gangsters in Jessore, the sources said.

These and some vital clues were revealed by one of the dacoits -- Mohsin alias Jashim alias Lala Daku-- arrested from in front of Bahar Confectionery at Gulshan-1, Dhaka on July 25. He made a confessional statement before First Class Magistrate MA Hakim, the sources said.

Acting on his confession, DB police arrested one Momin of Charputia village under Jessore Sadar upazila on Saturday.

Momin, now on remand, is being interrogated, the sources said but declined to give any more details.

On October 6, 2002, three days after the incident, police arrested Ashraful and Shahidur from Mostafapur area but due to negligence of Rajoir police, nothing could be extracted from them.

Ashraful and Shahidur got bail from the High Court and are absconding now, they said.