An assistant commissioner (AC) and two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) have been withdrawn over allegations that they extorted Tk 18 lakh, including cryptocurrency, from a businessman and his friend after detaining them and threatening to implicate them in a gambling case on September 4.
The withdrawn officers are AC Shariful Alam Sujon and ASI Bashir Uddin of CMP’s Law and Order Intelligence Cell, and ASI Sufian of CMP's Ration Store.
Confirming the development, CMP Commissioner Hasan Md Showkat Ali told The Daily Star, “The AC was withdrawn and attached to CMP headquarters, and the two ASIs were closed and attached to Dampara Police Lines following their alleged involvement in extorting money and cryptocurrency from a man under police custody.”
He said the case is being investigated by Deputy Commissioner (DC) (POM) Md Bodiuzzaman, who was asked to submit his findings immediately.
On the morning of September 4, plainclothes officers led by AC Shariful allegedly picked up businessman Akhtaruzzaman Shakil and his friend Mansur Ali from a house in Block K of Halishahar in Chattogram. They were taken, along with Shakil’s Toyota Corolla, to the Law and Order Intelligence Cell office.
The victims alleged their mobile phones were seized, personal data and photographs transferred, and they were threatened with exposure of private images and implication in a gambling case.
Shakil said he was forced to transfer $10,864 (around Tk 13.25 lakh) from his Binance account in three transactions.
He further alleged that three constables took him to a bank booth near CMP around 10:40pm and made him withdraw Tk 4 lakh in five transactions.
Mobile notifications reviewed by The Daily Star confirm five withdrawals of Tk 80,000 each between 10:52pm and 10:58pm.
Tk 80,000 more was allegedly taken from a mobile financial account while he was at the Law and Order Intelligence Cell office.
The two men said they were released around midnight after officers recorded their names, addresses and phone numbers, obtained signatures on a blank sheet, and filmed them.
Shakil, who deals in polypropylene (PP) raw materials in Khatunganj and owns an agro farm in Patiya, later gave his statement verbally before the CMP probe committee.
According to Bangladesh Bank, cryptocurrency trading is not permitted in Bangladesh. A 2022 notice stated that virtual currencies are not approved for foreign exchange transactions or investment under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
