A former police officer was arrested last night in connection with the abduction of Sukhranjan Bali, who was a prosecution witness in the crimes against humanity case against late Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, an International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) prosecutor said today.

"Last night, an ICT investigation officer, with assistance from the police, arrested Fazlur Rahman. He will be produced before a metropolitan magistrate," ICT Prosecutor Mizanul Islam told The Daily Star.

Sukhranjan Bali had earlier accused ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 31 others of attempting to force him to give false testimony in the case against Sayedee.

In a complaint filed with the office of the ICT chief prosecutor, Sukhranjan alleged that he had been abducted, tortured and held captive in India after refusing to provide "false testimony" against Sayedee.

He also alleged that law enforcers picked him up while he was on his way to testify that Sayedee was innocent.