2 police officers accused of extortion on temporary suspension

Paltan police arrested two Sutrapur Police Station officers accused of extortion from a resident of Shantinagar in the capital, framing him with drugs.

The accused police officers are SI Rahmat Ullah and ASI Rafiqul Islam. Two other people, Farhad Hossain and Hasib Hassan Shovon, were also arrested in connection to the case.

The two arrested police officers went to one Nazmul Haque Sumon's flat pretending to be Detective Branch (DB) officers, according to the case filed by Nazmul Haque with Paltan Police Station.

Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner, Motijheel Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed The Business Standard (TBS) about the arrests, but denied the direct drug framing by the two Sutrapur police officers posing as  DB officers.

A senior police official of  DMP's Lalbagh Division told TBS, "The two arrested policemen have already been temporarily suspended."

A team led by Sentu Miah, inspector of Paltan Police Station (Investigation), went to Sutrapur Police Station and arrested the two on Sunday. They were taken to court in secrecy.

Paltan station said two policemen from Sutrapur came to Shantinagar to arrest a drug dealer but they returned with some money without detaining anyone. Later, the names of two civilians came up in the case of framing the victim with drugs and attempting extortion. When police arrested them, they revealed the names of the now arrested and suspended police officers.

According to the case filed by Nazmul Haque, around 9pm two men in civilian clothes knocked on his door in Shantinagar's Eastern Peace building on 14 June. When his father opened the door, they introduced themselves as DB police and entered Nazmul's room. They searched his whole room while one of them put something like a tablet on Nazmul's table. Then the imposters started to threaten Nazmul saying he was a Yaba dealer.

At this time, the accused officers demanded money and Nazmul gave Tk55,000. One of the officers snatched Nazmul's mobile phone and called an acquaintance of Nazmul, named Farhad, to Nazmul's house. When Farhad reached there around 11pm, the officers handcuffed farhad and told Nazmul, if they want Farhad unharmed, they would have to give away Farhad's motorcycle.

The officers also told them, the motorcycle would be returned if Nazmul gives Tk1,00,000. The officers also threatened Nazmul not to take any alternative options.

Farhad and another acquaintance Shovon came to Nazmul's house two days later on 16 June at 11am. Shovon pressurised Nazmul to give that Tk1,00,000 and get the motorcycle back from the officers.

At this point Nazmul realised that, Farhad and Shovon were also a part of the officers' planned drama. 

Mamunur Rashid, Sutrapur Station's officer in-charge, said, they went to detain drug dealers after informing him, but they returned with only money.

"Ask the Paltan station about this. Do not get me involved in these" he added.