Major 'involved' with abduction

Police late Sunday caught a serving army major on charges of holding a businessman for ransom.
Major Rezaul Karim and his accomplices also took away from the victim, Abdullah Masud, a private car, Tk 1.5 lakh in cash, a laptop, two mobile phone sets and an iPhone.
Masud, managing director of Falguni Food and Beverage Company at Purana Paltan, luckily escaped from captivity when he was being taken away on a car.
After the abduction, the army officer called General Manager Badsha Mian and Director Production Atiqur Rahman of Masud's firm, asking them to pay a ransom of Tk 70 lakh, Masud told The Daily Star yesterday.
Law enforcers managed to detain Maj Reza and his two accomplices.
Shahinul Islam, director of Inter Service Public Relations, confirmed the arrest and said police had handed over the major to the army headquarters.
"A court of inquiry has already been initiated by the army headquarters. If the officer is found guilty, legal action will be taken against him," he told The Daily Star yesterday.
Masud filed a case with Khilgaon Police Station yesterday, accusing the army official, detained Sohag and Heera Sheikh and 10-15 unknown others, Sub-Inspector Shafiqul Gani Sabu said.
In the case statement, he said Maj Reza called him over mobile phone and asked him to come to a Chinese restaurant at Banasree on Sunday at 8:30pm.
As he reached there, the major introduced himself to be a Rab official and asked where and how Masud got so much money.
Earlier, the army officer claimed to be a Saudi expatriate named Rokon and wanted to be Masud's business partner.
At one stage, Reza pulled a pistol and threatened to haul the businessman to the Rab headquarters if he does not give money.
Maj Reza took away Masud's car and other valuables and forced him to board another car which soon started to roll forward. The major's two accomplices were in the car.
Masud said while the private car was passing through Khilgaon flyover around 11:30pm, he saw police and shouted for help.
"As police ran and tried to intercept the car, two of the criminals jumped out of it. I also did so."
Police, however, caught the two, who were injured, and took them to Khilgaon Police Station where Maj Reza arrived after an hour.
Identifying him as a major working for Rab, he asked police to release his detained accomplices. Police locked him up and informed the army.
A captain from the army headquarters came to the police station and Major Reza was handed over to him around 4:00am yesterday.