Tk 50 lakh extortion demand and cigarette looting: Prime accused in Chattogram case held in Sarail
Photo: Collected
A joint team of Special Response Battalion (SRB)-9 and SRB-7 has arrested from Brahmanbaria the prime accused in a case filed over allegations of demanding Tk 50 lakh in extortion from a businessman in Chattogram, beating and looting a huge quantity of cigarettes. This information was given in a press release sent by SRB-9.
The name of the arrested person is Hridoy (27). He is a resident of the Tulatuli slum area under Kotwali thana of Chattogram city. His father’s name is Md Masud.
SRB-9 said that on the afternoon of 19 September, Bangladeshi cigarettes of various brands belonging to businessman Aminul Islam and his business partners were being taken in a pickup from the SA Paribahan office in the Kazir Dewri area under Kotwali thana of Chattogram towards Reazuddin Bazar. On the way, when it reached beside the Apollo-11 petrol pump at Lovelane intersection, a group of people with local weapons intercepted the pickup.
They demanded Tk 50 lakh in extortion from pickup driver Md Anwar Hossain. They also threatened to kill the driver and the helper if the money was not paid.
When the driver refused to pay the extortion, he was injured with punches and kicks. At one stage, when helper Md Zahid tried to resist, he was also beaten. Later, failing to get the extortion money, the accused took away the huge quantity of cigarettes of various brands that were in the pickup, loading them onto another unidentified vehicle.
Local people then came to the spot, rescued the driver and the helper and took them to hospital. In this incident, Aminul Islam as plaintiff filed a case with Kotwali thana of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) on 20 September.
SRB-9 began a shadow investigation and intelligence activities to arrest the accused in the case. In continuation of this, on the basis of secret information, a joint team of CPC-1, Brahmanbaria of SRB-9 and CPSC, Chattogram of SRB-7 conducted a drive.
The release further said Hridoy was arrested in a drive on the paved road in front of Titas Gas Field in Sarail Sadar union of Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria at around 7:15pm on 6 October. He is the number one accused named in the FIR of the case filed with Kotwali thana of Chattogram.
It was also said that the arrested Hridoy has been handed over to the thana concerned for taking further legal action.
