Fake Covid-19 certificates: 7 Regent Group officials sent to jail

A Dhaka court today rejected bail petitions of seven officials and employees of Regent Group, and sent them to jail in a case filed over the issuing of fake Covid-19 certificates and illegally charging patients for testing and treatment.

The accused are: Regent Group project officer Rakibul Islam Sumon (39), human resources officer Amit Banik (39), health technologists Ahsan Habib Hasan (49), and Hatim Ali (25), administrative officer Ahsan Habib (45), employee Abdur Rashid Khan Jewel (28), and driver Abdus Salam (25).

Metropolitan Magistrate Debdash Chandra Adhikary passed the order after Md Alamgir Gazi, an inspector of Uttara West Police Station and also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, produced them before the court on expiry of their five-day remand.

In the forwarding report, the IO said the seven arrestees gave important information over the issuing of fake Covid-19 certificates and charging patients, which arecurrently being verified.

He appealed to the court to confine them in jail until his investigation is completed, the IO added in the forwarding report.

Besides, seventeen-year-old Kamrul Islam, a receptionist of the group, was sent to Tongi Children Correctional Centre on July 8 in this connection.

Another accused Regent Group Public Relations Officer (PRO) Tariqul Islam alias Tareq Shibli, who was arrested from East Nakhalpara earlier, is now on a five-day remand.

The Regent Group chairman, managing director and six other accused are on the run while Rapid Action Battalion arrested eight staffers during their drive at Uttara branch of the hospital on July 6.

Earlier on July 7, Inspector Zulhas Mia of Rab-1 filed the case with Uttara West Police Station against Regent Group Chairman Md Shahed, its MD Masud Parvez and 15 others.