Uttara abduction: Army man among 3 held

Police have arrested three people, including an army personnel, in connection with the abduction of Hasan Sikder Mehedi and assaulting his gunman, Mahbub Alam, who later died at Combined Military Hospital (CMH).

The incident occurred on Friday evening in front of a house on Road-12 of Sector-14 in the capital’s Uttara.

Kazi Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Uttara West Police Station, yesterday disclosed the development of arresting three people.

Mehedi has not been rescued yet, the OC said, adding that intelligence sources, however, informed them that Mehedi may have been freed.

Of the three, Zahidul Islam Jony and Khondoker Imran Hossain, a lance corporal of the army, were arrested from Dhaka and Magura yesterday. Another suspect, Bachchu Mia held from Chattogram on Sunday was placed on a three-day remand.

Sub-Inspector Kamrul Islam of Uttara West Police Station yesterday produced Jony and Imran before a Dhaka court with a forwarding report, which mentioned that Jony was arrested from the Gulshan area and Imran from Magura. 

The two admitted their involvement in the incident before the court.

The report said Imran told interrogators that around 10 months ago, he became acquainted with Mehedi over phone. “Mehedi introduced himself as the personal secretary of the chief adviser’s daughter and claimed that he lived at the Bangabhaban... ”

Mehedi then asked Imran to give him an account number, saying that money would be sent there to buy a flat.

“Imran and his colleague Al Sadi, who is also an army member, were posted at the Bangabhaban. Imran discussed the matter with Al Sadi, who provided his elder brother Borhan’s account number,” the report read.

Police said Tk 60 lakh was deposited into the account in two instalments. Borhan later withdrew the money and handed it over to Mehedi, following instructions from Imran and Al Sadi.

The report added that the group later tried to trace the source of the money and learnt that a man from Kushtia paid Tk 40 lakh after being promised a nomination for the upcoming polls.

Mehedi also took Tk 20 lakh from the man, promising to arrange a “Bangladesh Bank loan”.

After the fraud was discovered, the man from Kushtia allegedly pressured Borhan, Imran, and Al Sadi to return the money.

Police said the three then approached a political leader, who allegedly took Tk 1.5 lakh in cash from Imran, claiming that he would recover the money from Mehedi, but Mehedi could not be traced.

The report also mentioned that on Friday, the political leader, along with Imran, Al Sadi, and Borhan, went to the spot in Uttara and injured Mahbub, the gunman of abductee Mehedi.

Police added that the suspects took Mehedi with them in a car.

Over the assault on Mahbub, who later died from his injuries, his son filed a case with Uttara West Police Station aganist six unidentified individuals. 

Md Moniruzzaman, inspector (investigation) of Uttara West Police Station, told The Daily Star that Mehedi was a fraud who, at different times, introduced himself as the chief adviser’s personal secretary or as the personal secretary of the chief adviser’s daughter to maintain ties with high-profile individuals.

“We are investigating the matter,” he added.

When contacted over the Uttara incident, ISPR said the army would take all necessary steps to ensure whatever is required to maintain law and order under existing laws in Bangladesh.