The Dhaka District Police yesterday suspended of its own seven detective members for their alleged involvement in taking Tk 4.5 lakh in extortion from a businessman after ‘threatening to kill him in crossfire’.
The suspended DB members include a sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector and five constables, said Superintendent of Dhaka District Police, Maruf Hossain Sarder.
They detained the victim in Keraniganj on Wednesday and demanded Tk 4.5 lakh for his release. The businessman was released after his family gave them money, DB sources said.
Later, the victim filed a complaint with the office of SP in this regard on Thursday.
Maruf Hossain Sorder, superintendent of Dhaka District Police (SP) confirmed about this and said that the suspended policemen include a sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector and five constables.
However, the SP did not disclose the names of the suspended DB members as no departmental inquiries have been done yet.
“We suspended them upon receiving complaints of harassing a man. We are investigating the allegation,” he said.
The victim businessman is Md. Sohel, a resident of South Keraniganj complained to Dhaka District police on Thursday.
Sohel mentioned in the complaint that on January 29, he was returning home from Sadarghat area after buying two lungis at around 6 pm. Suddenly, five or six people surrounded him when he arrived at the Lalkuthi boat stand in Sutrapur area. They introduced themselves as DB of Keraniganj and handcuffed him. Later, they took Sohel on a boat and crossed the Buriganga River.
They embarked a white microbus without number plate in Keraniganj. They tied his eyes with a black cloth and took him to an unknown location. There he was severely beaten up and tortured by them.
At one point, they demanded Tk 5 lakh from Sohel at gunpoint; otherwise, they will kill him in a crossfire.
They later called his family members by using the victim’s phone. They said, if the family members give the money he will be released otherwise they will kill Sohel.
They released Sohel on the same day at 11.30 pm near Bosila Bridge after receiving Tk 4.5 lakh from Sohel family, the complaint read.
“They also threatened to disappear me or my family members after killing me or file a false case against us if we disclose the incident to anyone,” added the complaint.
Sohel said he can identify them if he sees them again. The SP said that they have received the complaint letter of the victim.
“We have suspended them on the basis of preliminary fact and investigation,” he said adding that the complaint note will be investigated and final departmental action taken against them upon investigation.
source: UNB
