Fraudster posing as close associate of PM's family arrested

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a fraudster who had been posing as a close associate of the Prime Minister's family in Bangladesh.

RAB officials disclosed that Abu Hanif Tushar alias Hanif Mia had been operating a scheme, demanding exorbitant sums of Tk200-300 crore from aspiring candidates to secure nominations for parliamentary constituencies.

The suspect was captured in the capital's Bashundhara Residential Area on Tuesday night, Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB's Legal and Media Wing, said yesterday.

At a press briefing held at RAB Media Centre in the capital's Karwan Bazar area, he said arrested Hanif used to use of photoshopped images, portraying him alongside members of the Prime Minister's family. These fraudulent images were employed to gain the trust of his victims.

Furthermore, RAB authorities revealed that they had recovered a cache of manipulated videos and edited pictures of prominent individuals within the government and the ruling party.

RAB's investigation also revealed that Hanif Mia had managed to employ over 30 individuals through deceit and embezzlement of more than Tk5 crore from various victims. He had also acquired significant land and property through fraudulent means, the RAB official said. 

Khandaker Al Moin detailed how Hanif Mia had consistently misrepresented his identity as a close relative of the Prime Minister's family, leveraging these false connections to extract substantial sums of money.

Moin added, "He used to meticulously gather the names and mobile numbers of individuals aspiring to secure nominations for different parliamentary constituencies, particularly focusing on those with diminished prospects of receiving such nominations."

The suspect's deceit went even further, with Hanif Mia traveling to meet his targets in expensive cars at upscale hotels across the country, where he continued to exploit their ambitions by promising jobs and promotions.

Hanif Mia falsely claimed to have a graduation degree in English from a public university, although he had only completed his HSC. He delved into the motor parts business in 2008 and even owned several buses under the name Tushar Enterprise Paribahan, serving various routes across the country.

Khandaker Al Moin further explained that Hanif Mia used to falsely campaign in the Nakhal Para and Dhanmondi area of Dhaka, saying that he was holding various important posts in the party. Later in 2014, the scam started by posing as the personal assistant of a well-known politician.

To solidify his fabricated identity, he maintained an active presence on social media, creating a Facebook account in 2015. He posted pictures with influential individuals, attended events and seminars, and even traveled internationally.

The police, later, filed a case against Hanif Mia under the Arms Act at Bhatara police station.