Expelled student leader Jane Alam Apu placed on 4-day remand in extortion case

A Dhaka court has placed Jane Alam Apu, an expelled leader of Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, on a four-day remand in a case over extortion from the family of former Awami League MP Shammi Ahmed.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nazneen Akhter passed the order today after the investigating officer, Moklesur Rahman, also officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station, produced Apu before the court and sought a 10-day remand.

In the remand plea, police said Apu and another arrestee, Abdur Razzak Riyad, expelled leader of Students Against Discrimination, took Tk 10 lakh from the complainant on July 17. The IO said Apu needs to be remanded to uncover further details, recover the money, and identify other suspects.

Apu, 24, denied the allegations in court and claimed he was not present at the time of the incident. He told the court that he was being harassed and broke down in tears while defending himself, saying he was arrested solely for his association with Riyad.

Defence counsel Sirajul Islam Rubel sought bail and cancellation of the remand petition, but the court rejected the plea.

Apu was arrested by the Detective Branch from Dhaka's Wari yesterday.

Meanwhile, police today recovered a motorcycle allegedly purchased with extortion money that belonged to Apu, confirmed Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.