Mix-up over identity lands man in jail

Police allegedly picked up an innocent person and sent him to Joypurhat jail on Thursday as his details match with the accused in a fraudulence case filed in Dhaka.

The detainee is SM Jahangir Alam Sarkar, 25, son of Tofazzal Hossain Sarkar of College Bazar village at Akkelpur upazila in the district.

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He completed his masters from Government Azizul Haque College in Bogra. Son of a bicycle repairman in the area, he is a house tutor, family members say.

On the other side, SM Jahangir Alam Sardar, 35, son of Tofazzal Hossain Sardar of Santa village in Akkelpur, is the accused in the fraudulence case filed in 2014.

His business centre M/s Sardar Traders is situated in College Bazar area, but locals say the shop remained closed for last couple of months.

Detained Jahangir's family members said a team of Akkelpur police knocked on the door around 1:30am on Thursday.

As Jahangir woke up and opened the door, the police immediately detained him saying there was an arrest warrant against him.

“I tried my best to convince the police that they came for the wrong person, but the officer-in-charge paid no heed,” said his father over phone yesterday.

The police sent him to Joypurhat jail later that day.

Locals said they had seen real accused Jahangir Alam Sardar alias Ujjal in the area on Wednesday.

A pesticide company filed the fraudulence case against him in 2014 as he did not pay its dues. A Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant against him in 2015.

He was also arrested and sent to Joypurhat jail. However, he got bail and then jumped bail, said locals.

The court later sentenced him to six months' jail in absentia and also fined him Tk 11.7 lakh last year.

Talking to The Daily Star over phone, Sirajul Islam, OC of Akkelpur police, said law enforcers arrested Jahangir as per details obtained from the court.