Police had informed Shakib about case against Arav Khan: DB chief

Police had informed Shakib Al Hasan about Rabiul Islam alias Arav Khan, the absconding accused in a case filed over the murder of Special Branch (SB) Police Inspector Mamun Imran Khan, Detective Branch (DB) Chief Harun-or-Rashid said today.

"We had informed Shakib about Arav Khan after seeing the Facebook posts. But he went there anyway. If necessary for the investigation, we will question Shakib. We are working to bring back Arav Khan to Bangladesh. How he fled the country will also be investigated," the DB chief told journalists on Thursday (16 March).  

After being on the run for a long time, Arav came into discussion recently. The world's number one all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan joined his jeweler shop opening in Dubai on Wednesday (15 March).  After seeing Arav on a Facebook post, many people recognised him as Robiul Islam, the fugitive murder accused. Discussions started on how an absconding accused went to Dubai and made a hefty amount of money.

Consequently, police launched an investigation regarding the matter. According to police sources, Robiul Islam alias Arav Khan started a gold business in Dubai with financial help from a former senior retired police officer.

"Arav Khan, the owner of the jewellery, is the accused in the murder of SB Police Inspector Mamun. His real name is Rabiul Islam. Efforts are underway to bring him back to the country," Additional Deputy Commissioner of DB (Motijheel Division) Shahidur Rahman Ripon told The Business Standard.

"The man who is still wanted and was wanted for a long time is going to invest crores of money in Dubai and has opened up a gold shop called 'Arav Jewellers'. Bought luxurious house and car. He has a multi-million dollar business in Dubai now. But once he was just a fraudster," said another DB official.

On 8 July 2018, SB Inspector Mamun Imran Khan was murdered in a house in the capital's Banani. The next day, his body was packed in a sack and taken to a forest in Ulukhola, Gazipur, doused in petrol and set on fire.

After investigating the case, the DB filed a charge sheet in April next year. In the charge sheet, police said that a gang led by Robiul Islam used to trap affluent people, blackmail and extort money from them. 

In April 2019, police filed charge sheet in Mamun Imran Khan's murder case with the court indicting 10 people including Robiul.

Apart from Robiul, his wife Suraiya Akhtar Keya was made an accused in the charge sheet.  Mamun's friends Rahmat Ullah, Swapan Sarkar, Didar Pathan, Mizan Sheikh, Atiq Hasan, Sarwar Hossain and two girls were also made accused in the case.

According to the case document, Robiul is the son of Motiur Rahman Molla and Lucky Begum of Ashutia village in Kotalipara, Gopalganj.

On 20 October 2020, a person posing Robiul Islam surrendered in court after an arrest warrant was issued in the Mamun murder case. The court sent him to jail. After almost 9 months of imprisonment, the young man claimed that he is not the real Robiul Islam, his real name is Abu Yusuf. In promise of monthly payment from Robiul Islam, he surrendered to the court posing as the accused.

The court ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the DB to submit a report.