Complaints stack up against fake Nawab

Investigators are yet to ascertain the real identity of the reported imposter who was scamming people by posing as the grandson of Nawab Salimullah Khan.

Till yesterday, the economic crime division of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit received 20-odd written complaints against the suspect, who changed his name to Nawab Khwaja Ali Hasan Askari in 2014.

He allegedly swindled around Tk 6 crore from victims, promising them to provide them jobs in Singapore, Poland and Bangladesh police.

Besides the huge number of complaints, four separate cases were filed against Hasan with the capital's Mohammadpur, Mirpur and Motijheel police stations, and one with Narayanganj court.

Towhidul Islam, additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of CTTC unit, told The Daily Star yesterday that they are now looking for Hasan's lockers and account details to recover money.

"A huge number of people are contacting us with their complaints. We are guiding them to lodge cases against Hasan with details of his fraudulent activities," he said.

"We are suspecting that Hasan is a sibling of arrested Rashed, who identified himself as his associate. We are now planning to conduct a DNA test to verify," said ADC Towhidul.

Meanwhile, three of Hasan's associates -- Rashed alias Rahmat Ali alias Raja, Barkat Ali alias Rana and Sajib alias Meer Rubel -- gave confessional statements before court, admitting their crimes. They said Hasan took huge amounts of money from people by scamming them, according to investigators.

Hasan and Ahmed Ali, another associate, were sent to jail after their remand period ended.

ADC Towhidul said they have identities of four other of Hasan's associates, who used to work in different divisions as his agents to collect money. "We have already kept them four suspects under surveillance," he added.

Investigators said Hasan allegedly used the network of National People's Party (NPP) and some of the party members to operate his fraudulent activities in different districts.

"We are also monitoring some NPP members' and leaders' activities, as we suspect that they might have joined hands with Hasan for illegal activities," said a high official of CTTC, requesting anonymity.

NPP President Salauddin Salu, however, refused the claim, saying that Hasan presently has no relation with any NPP members or leaders.

"I met him at a programme in Kakrail a year back, where he took a photo with me. I do not have any other relations with Hasan," he said.

Tajul Islam, a student of Uttara Law College, had given Tk 4 lakh to Hasan in three phases in March and April, after he was promised a job at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

Tajul said Hasan claimed that he partially owns the hospital. He took money from 40 others, promising them jobs there.

"After giving the amount, I realised that we were being cheated. I told him to give my money back, but he refused," he said.

The youth from Gazipur then filed a case with Motijheel Police Station.

Earlier on October 28, CTTC unit arrested Hasan, who changed his and his wife's identity to allegedly grab property of Nawab Salimullah's Estate.