5, including CID officials arrested for allegedly running abduction racket

Five people, including police personnel of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), were arrested over allegedly running a racket for abducting people and looting their valuables in the capital. 

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) officials said on Monday they arrested five people, including a sub-inspector and a CID constable. 

CID Sub-inspector Rezaul Karim, 39, Constable Abu Sayeed, 32, and Sharif Hossain, 26, of Mymensingh were arrested on Sunday. 

Mohammad Emon, 21, and Abdullah AL Fahim, 21, both of Barishal, were arrested on 3 December during a drive probing into an abduction of a travel agency businessman in the capital's Kuril area.

Additional Commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of police Mohammad Harun or Rashid said the arrests were made while they were investigating the abduction case filed with the Bhatara police in August.

He also said the police are investigating who else was involved with this racket.

According to the sources involved in the investigation, Rezaul used to call businessmen and jobholders and ask them to meet up by introducing himself as OC Rabiul of CID. 

One of the victims, Mostazifur Rahman, a travel agent, was kidnapped when he came to meet him. 

The sources further said if someone did not come to meet, Rezaul would know the last location of the person's mobile phone and would launch a fake operation at the targeted person's location. 

SI Rezaul would put on a jacket, with CID written on it, carry a walkie-talkie and a pistol. Constable Sayeed also used to wear a CID jacket.

CID spokesperson Police Superintendent Azad Rahman said these two CID members involved in the crime have been suspended. "Departmental action will be taken against them after the investigation."