Uttara fuel pump robbery: Key suspect remanded for 7 days, 2 others sent to jail
Professional criminal Sagar Barai has been remanded, while in a separate order, suspects Rubel and Mintu have been sent to jail
A Dhaka court today (15 August) placed one key suspect on a seven-day police remand and sent two others to jail in separate cases who were in connection with the robbery of Tk1.21 crore from employees of DL Petrol Pump in Uttara on 9 August.
The arrests were disclosed by DB Chief Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam during a press briefing at Minto Road in the capital.
Following their arrest, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam granted a seven-day remand for suspect Sagar Barai, 41, in the case filed with Airport Police Station after investigating officer Sub-Inspector Md Nazrul Islam requested 10 days for interrogation for another case.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Prosecution Sub-Inspector Abu Bakkar noted in court that Sagar, who faced nine similar cases, had no defence lawyer present during the hearing.
In a separate order today, a Dhaka court ordered suspects Md Robiul Islam alias Rubel, 34, and Mintu Rari, 23, to be sent to jail. Meanwhile in another case filed with Jatrabari Police Station following a prayer by investigating officer Sub-Inspector Mohammad Zahirul Islam of the Lalbagh DB Zonal Team, who stated that police would later seek remand for questioning.
The rest of the accused -- Zafar and Md Ilias Shikdar -- are currently in police custody.
The robbery took place at around 10:30am on 9 August in front of Crowne Plaza on Airport Road in Uttara when the petrol pump's assistant manager Mohammad Al Amin, accompanied by CNG operator Selimuzzaman and covered-van driver Khorshed, was heading to deposit Tk1.21 crore at Pubali Bank in Uttara Sector 1.
Six to seven unidentified assailants riding three motorcycles intercepted the covered van, held Al Amin at gunpoint, and hacked him with a machete before snatching the bag containing Tk1.21 crore and fleeing towards Abdullahpur.
Following the incident, DL Petrol Pump manager Md Abdul Karim filed a case with Airport Police Station alleging robbery with intent to cause death or grievous hurt, while police filed a separate case under the section 19 of the Arms Act, 1878.
Investigating leads, DB officers conducted drives across Dhaka and Narayanganj last night, apprehending Md Ilias Shikdar and Zafar in Siddhirganj, which led to Rubel's arrest in Matuail and Mintu's in Kajlarpar, Jatrabari.
Police recovered Tk3 lakh from Rubel's rented home and subsequently arrested Sagar in Postogola with Tk9 lakh, bringing total recovered cash to Tk12 lakh as of yet.
Law enforcers also seized four 7.65mm pistols, six magazines, 21 rounds of ammunition, a fake RAB identity card, vests, caps, walkie-talkies, handcuffs, several number plates, and a motorcycle used during the crime.
DB Chief Shafiqul Islam stated that eight to ten people were involved in the heist, with the alleged mastermind still at large and six to seven accomplices yet to be arrested.
Investigation revealed that the gang operated by posing as law enforcement personnel using seized arms to carry out robberies targeting individuals carrying large amounts of cash from financial institutions.
Police confirmed that Sagar faces 13 cases, while Rubel has four, Mintu three, Zafar two, and Ilias one.
Investigators found no involvement of any petrol pump employee in the crime.
Notably, the fuel pump is owned by Tasin Akter Haque, a maternal cousin of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and son of late former minister Khurshid Jahan Haque, who was deceased prime minister Khaleda Zia's elder sister.
