3 sent to jail over fake DGFI identities, Tk1.59 lakh extortion
Police say trio posed as intelligence officials in Uttara.
A Dhaka court today (6 October) sent three men to jail in a case over allegedly extorting Tk1.59 lakh from an Uttara resident after posing as members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque passed the order after a hearing, prosecution Sub-Inspector Helal Uddin confirmed.
The accused are Md Russel Mahbub alias Masum, 42, Sohel Mirza, 41, and Md Sajib, 36.
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They were produced before the court after completing a three-day remand. Sub-Inspector Md Humayun Kabir, investigating officer of Uttara East Police Station, sought their detention in jail.
According to the prosecution, the accused provided information about the incident during interrogation, which investigators are now verifying. Their detention was also necessary until their identities and addresses were confirmed, it said.
No lawyer appeared for the accused during the hearing, Helal Uddin said.
The three men were arrested in Uttara on 2 October and placed on three-day remand the following day.
According to the case statement, around 8am on 2 October, several people went to the 10th floor of a building on Road 3 in Sector 4 of Uttara and introduced themselves as DGFI members.
They allegedly told flat owner Kaiyum Shahriar Zahedi that a case had been filed against him and demanded Tk10 lakh to settle it.
Fearing the group, Zahedi paid Tk1.59 lakh, according to the complaint.
He later became suspicious of their activities and contacted the national emergency service 999. A patrol team from Uttara East Police Station then arrived at the building.
Police found a DGFI identity card in the possession of one of the men and became suspicious after examining it.
Police said the men admitted to extorting money while posing as DGFI officials.
During the arrests, police recovered a fake DGFI identity card, a Suzuki Gixxer motorcycle, Tk1.59 lakh in cash, a walkie-talkie and a pair of handcuffs.
The three were subsequently shown arrested in the case filed with Uttara East Police Station.
