Helping defaulters secure loans with fake NIDs
5 including election office operators held
They are data entry operators of election offices.
Having access to the NID database server, they -- in collusion with some others -- created a gang that provide fake National ID cards, helping defaulters secure bank loans using those.
The two operators used to enter the fake ID in the central NID database, making it difficult for the banks to identify the loan defaulters.
Detectives shared the information yesterday after they arrested five members of the gang, including the duo.
They were arrested during a drive in Mirpur Zoo area around 8:30pm on Saturday, said Razib al Masud, deputy commissioner (Lalbagh division) of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Twelve fake NID cards were seized from their possession.
The arrestees are: Siddharth Shankar Sutradhar (32) and Mohammad Anwarul Islam (28), data entry operators of Sabujbag and Gulshan election offices; Suman Parvez (40), Mohammad Majid (42), and Abdullah Al Mamun (41).
According to detectives, arrestee Mamun so far took loans of nearly Tk 20 lakh from two private banks with the fake NID provided by the gang.
Besides, the arrestees told detectives that using fake NIDs, one Milton took loan of Tk 3 crore from a bank, Yeasir Tk 10 lakh, Saleh Ahmed Tk 15 lakh and Abdul Majid Tk 20 lakh from different banks.
DB assistant commissioner Madhusudan Das said Siddharth and Anwar were outsourced three years back and since then they have been involved in the crime.
During primary interrogation, the arrestees admitted that they have so far prepared at least 40 such NID cards.
The operators used to make entry of the dual and fake NIDs in the NID database and it takes at least one month to report the dual NID. By this time, the fake NID card holders used to apply to get bank loans, Madhusudan, who led the drive, said.
Suman used to approach clients, mostly loan defaulters, as they could not apply for loans with previous NID cards, DB officials said.
According to detectives, Suman and Majid used to take Tk 60,000 to Tk 1 lakh from each client and made a deal of taking 10 percent of the total loan amount once it was approved by respective banks.
Siddhartha and Anwar used to charge Tk 35,000 to Tk 40,000 for making each fake NID card.
A case has been filed against them with Mirpur Police Station. Detectives are trying to arrest others.