Arav Khan under UAE police 'surveillance'

Rabiul Islam alias Arav Khan, the accused in a case filed over the murder of Special Branch Police Inspector Mamun Imran Khan, is reportedly 'under surveillance' of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) police in Dubai. 

According to several police sources in the UAE and Bangladesh, Dubai police detained Arav on Tuesday, following an Interpol red notice application before releasing him a few hours later.

Law enforcement agencies there have kept Arav in a safe home under close surveillance, say multiple sources.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam told the media on Tuesday that the situation "was still unfolding" and the media will learn the developments as it happens.

Shahriar Alam, however, said, "There is no scope for any Bangladeshi fugitive accused to take shelter in any friendly countries."

Earlier, Interpol has accepted Bangladesh police's request to issue a red notice against fugitive accused Arav Khan, owner of Arav Jewellers in Dubai.

Earlier, on Saturday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said efforts were underway to bring Arav Khan.

A senior Detective Branch official on Thursday (16 March) said cricketer Shakib al Hasan and content creator Hero Alam who participated in the inauguration of Arav Jewellers in Dubai may be questioned for the sake of investigation.

On Tuesday, one Milon Chisty, a close ally of Arav Khan in Dubai, said that news broke out on Monday night that Arav had gone into hiding.

"However, we came to know on Tuesday noon that he had been picked up by the Dubai police and they interrogated him for hours," he said.

Meanwhile, Arav Khan alias Rabiul Islam's jewellery shop in Dubai was closed since Tuesday morning and most of the jewellers and gold items were shifted to somewhere else, according to the Dubai Bangladeshi community.

His other business venture Arav Travel was also found shut since Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Ambassador in UAE, Abu Zafor told journalists that he has no official information of Arav Khan's detention in Dubai.

"Until we get any official email from the NCB Dubai, we cannot officially announce it. We have only been verbally notified regarding his detention in Dubai on Tuesday and Arav Khan was being interrogated by the Dubai police," an official at the Bangladesh Police Headquarters told The Business Standard.

"A detective branch and police headquarters team has already sought permission through the home ministry to initiate the talk between UAE and Dhaka to bring him back immediately and their purpose is to go to Dubai," he added.

Meanwhile, although the UAE authorities on Monday have cancelled Arav Khan's residence permit and asked him not to leave the country without prior notice, there is no certainty regarding his extradition.

On Monday, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun confirmed that the Interpol has accepted the letter sent by Bangladesh Police to bring back Arav Khan.

Arav Khan, a gold trader, came to limelight following media reports that cricketer Shakib Al Hasan was visiting Dubai to attend the inauguration programme of his jewellery shop in Dubai.

Shakib Al Hasan joined his jewellery shop opening in Dubai on Wednesday (15 March). After seeing Arav on a Facebook post, many people recognised him as Robiul Islam, the fugitive murder accused. Discussions started on how an absconding accused went to Dubai and made a hefty amount of money.

Consequently, police launched an investigation regarding the matter. According to police sources, Robiul Islam alias Arav Khan started a gold business in Dubai with financial help from a former senior retired police officer.

On 8 July 2018, SB Inspector Mamun Imran Khan was murdered in a house in the capital's Banani. The next day, his body was packed in a sack and taken to a forest in Ulukhola, Gazipur, doused in petrol and set on fire.

After investigating the case, the DB filed a charge sheet in April next year. In the charge sheet, police said that a gang led by Robiul Islam used to trap affluent people, blackmail and extort money from them.

In April 2019, police filed a charge sheet in Mamun Imran Khan's murder case with the court indicting 10 people including Robiul.

Apart from Robiul, his wife Suraiya Akhtar Keya was made an accused in the charge sheet.  Mamun's friends Rahmat Ullah, Swapan Sarkar, Didar Pathan, Mizan Sheikh, Atiq Hasan, Sarwar Hossain and two girls were also accused in the case.

According to the case document, Robiul is the son of Motiur Rahman Molla and Lucky Begum of Ashutia village in Kotalipara, Gopalganj.

On 20 October 2020, a person posing as Robiul Islam surrendered in court after an arrest warrant was issued in the Mamun murder case. The court sent him to jail. After almost 9 months of imprisonment, the young man claimed that he is not the real Robiul Islam, his real name is Abu Yusuf. On the promise of monthly payment from Robiul Islam, he surrendered to the court posing as the accused.

The court ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the DB to submit a report.