The incident of abducting a man and demanding ransom for his release in the capital recently was pre-planned by the arrested elite force members, investigators said.

According to the plan, one of the arrestees hired a microbus the day before the incident. After the Rab members negotiated the ransom, they also rented an auto rickshaw to get the money from the victim's family members.

Police apprehended two Rab members when they went to pick up the ransom.

Yesterday, three witnesses, including the microbus driver and the auto rickshaw driver, made statements before a Dhaka court.

The three are: Ayub Ali, 35, driver of the auto rickshaw; Sumon Ali, 33, driver of the microbus in which the victim was kept; and Iqbal Hossain, 52, a distant uncle of the victim.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Atiqul Islam recorded their statements yesterday afternoon, court sources said.

On Thursday, police arrested three Rab members and a member of the air force for abducting and torturing Tamzid Hossain, 27, and demanding ransom for his release.

The arrestees are: Lance Corporal Dulal Mridha, 32, posted at operations wing of Rab headquarters and allegedly planned and led the abduction; soldier Rokon Mia, 34, of intelligence wing of Rab HQ; Corporal Rony, 26, from the air force; and soldier Md Sagar, 28, of investigation, forensic wing of Rab HQ.

Ranu Begum, 45, of Gazipur, was arrested and is on a two-day remand.

Police also found involvement of two more Rab members who are on the run.

"We think, it's a pre-planned incident. The Rab member Dulal is known to the air force officer Rony who hired the microbus the day before the incident … Ranu introduced herself as a broker in [garments] business. But we think, she targets people and gets the job done for this group" said a police official wishing not to be named.

In a statement under section 164 of the CRPC before a Dhaka court on Saturday, Tamzid said he was abducted by the elite force members after he went to meet Ranu in the capital's Uttara to discuss starting a business of garment products. He also gave a description of the abduction before the court. He described how he was held inside a vehicle that went around various parts of the city.

A source said the victim owed the woman money and she approached one of the four through another man to realise it.

On Thursday, the four allegedly picked up Tamzid and demanded money from his family over the phone. Tamzid's family informed police about the abduction and police made the arrests.

The next day, the victim's sister Rayana Hossain filed a case with Hatirjheel Police Station. She did not mention the names and designations of the accused.

The victim and his family members have left their home on Friday and were staying at an undisclosed location out of fear, police sources said.

Police has handed over the three arrested Rab officers to the elite force.

Rab Legal and Media Wing Director Commander Khandaker Al Moin told The Daily Star, "Our special investigation cell has started investigation. The investigators are talking to the arrestees and the witnesses. The investigation cell will prepare a probe report. If it finds them guilty, they will be sent to their main forces for further probe. Based on the probe findings, legal action will be taken against them."