Diamond World MD arrested

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested Dilip Kumar Agarwala, the managing director of Diamond World.

He was arrested from the capital's Gulshan today (4 September), RAB Media Wing Assistant Director ANM Emran Khan told The Business Standard.

The case in which Agarwala was arrested could not be known immediately.

Yesterday, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) launched an investigation into allegations of laundering money and smuggling gold and diamonds against Agarwala.

CID officer Azad Rahman from its CID media wing told The Business Standard that the Financial Crime Unit of the department has been tasked with conducting the investigation.

"We have received complaints of money laundering [against Agarwala] from various sources. We are investigating these complaints," he added.

According to CID sources, Agarwala has been committing fraud by selling high quality glass as diamonds through his showrooms in various districts. He also controls a Dubai-Singapore gold smuggling syndicate.

Besides, the CID is also looking into allegations against him regarding owning three jewellery shops and 11 houses in Kolkata, as well as amassing wealth illegally in Malaysia, Dubai and Canada. He allegedly became the director of a bank illegally by investing Tk40 crore.

Agarwala is a former president of Bangladesh Jewellers Association (Bajus), and former director and vice president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI).

He is also Awami League's Central Industry and Commerce Sub-Committee member.

For his contribution to the economy, he was announced as a Commercially Important Person (CIP) for by the then government.