Crossfire Threat: 7 cops sued for extorting money from businessman
Seven policemen, including two officers-in-charge of two police stations in Chattogram, were sued yesterday for taking Tk 23 lakh from a businessperson by "threatening to kill him in crossfire".
Yasin, 55, owner of M/S Yasin Enterprise in Chattogram city, filed a case with the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohiuddin Murad.
The man, a resident of Khulshi, accused Khandokar Ataur Rahman, former OC of Bayezid Bostami Police Station; Pritan Sarkar, incumbent OC of the police station; Sub-inspector Aftab; assistant sub-inspectors Ibrahim and Mitun Nath; and constables Rahman and Saiful of the police station.
Mentionable, Ataur joined Chandgaon Police Station as OC in January this year.
"Taking the case into cognisance, the court asked the additional commissioner (administration and finance) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police to investigate and submit a report," said Yasin's lawyer Shahidul Islam Suman.
Citing the case statement, the lawyer said police extorted the money from Yasin in two phases.
"On September 9, last year, a team of police picked up Yasin from his office in Bayezid Bostami area and confined him to the police station. They demanded Tk 20 lakh ransom and threatened to kill him in a shootout by showing him as an arms trader," added the lawyer.
"Yasin managed Tk 11 lakh that night by calling his relatives. He was released from the police station after they brought the money," Sumon said.
He also said Yasin was again picked up by plainclothes policemen in an SUV from Sher Shah area on February 4 this year.
They took him to a deserted place in Ananya Residential area. This time, they demanded Tk 50 lakh from him and made a similar threat. Yasin somehow managed Tk 12 lakh by calling 27 of his relatives and acquaintances and gave it to them, according to the case statement.
The lawyer said Yasin also submitted written complaints to the inspector general of police and the CMP commissioner in this regard.
Contacted, OC Ataur Rahman said, "I don't even know him [Yasin]. Who is he?"
Despite repeated attempts, OC Priton Sarkar could not be reached for comments as he did not pick up his phone.
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