DB raid spirals into internal investigations

Officials at the Detective Branch (DB) of police are facing an internal investigation over alleged misappropriation of Tk 2.8 crore in cash said to have been seized during a raid to recover counterfeit currency in the capital.

The detectives, acting on a tip-off, conducted a raid in Wari on November 8 last year, recovering counterfeit currency and cash, and arresting two people.

In the seizure list prepared after the raid, officials recorded the recovery of counterfeit currency worth Tk 6 lakh and Tk 19 lakh in legitimate cash.

However, during interrogation, the detainees -- Nurul Haque, 32, and Saidul Amin, 24, both Rohingya refugees from Teknaf -- claimed detectives had seized a total of Tk 3 crore in legitimate cash, leaving out Tk 2.8 crore from official documents.

Shafiqul Islam, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and chief of the DB, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star, saying the issue was under investigation.

In light of the development, DB chief Shafiqul Islam authorised an inquiry into Tareq Sekander, then assistant commissioner of the Tejgaon division DB, who oversaw the November 8 raid.

The probe was entrusted to his superior officer, Rakib Khan, then serving as acting deputy commissioner of the division.

Rakib submitted a probe report on December 4, but higher authorities later ordered a second inquiry for the sake of impartiality, which is currently underway.

This decision may be connected to an incident that occurred just before the report was filed, involving Rakib, Tareq and Didarul Islam, the informant behind the tip-off on the Wari counterfeit currency raid

The incident occurred outside Hotel Givenci International in Farmgate.

CCTV footage collected by The Daily Star from the hotel shows that on December 2, around 4:00am, Tareq arrived outside the hotel and found Rakib there. Shortly after Tareq's arrival, Rakib allegedly assaulted him.

In a complaint to the Inspector General of Police, Tareq said Rakib assaulted him when he reached there. According to officers, Tareq went there to rescue Didarul Islam, who, according to intelligence, was being held at Hotel Givenci.

This newspaper has obtained a copy of the complaint.

Contacted regarding the confrontation, Tareq explained that Didarul was his source and had gone missing from Cox’s Bazar on November 29, prompting his family to inform the local police.

“When I learnt of Didarul’s location in Farmgate and that my superior officer was present there, I also went to the spot.”

Tareq alleged that Rakib became enraged upon seeing him and physically assaulted him. “So, I have filed a written complaint with the police chief.”

Contacted, Rakib dismissed the allegations, saying senior officials never assault junior officers.

“He [Tareq] conducted a raid that appears to have been pre-planned, and there are indications that a large amount of money may have been misappropriated during that operation,” Rakib told The Daily Star.

On the issue of Didarul, Rakib said the source had come to DB seeking assistance over a personal issue. “If a source wants to stay somewhere, would you not arrange a room for him?” he remarked.

Rakib denied that Didarul had been picked up, adding, “If we bring someone in, we keep them in DB custody. We would not bring someone and keep them at a hotel.”

Asked, DB chief Shafiqul Islam said the informant was not in detention but had come to Dhaka to provide testimony, as he was a key source in the drive.

On December 1, Didarul’s wife, Momtaz Begum, filed a general diary with Ukhiya Police Station in Cox’s Bazar, saying her husband had gone missing from the Ukhiya Boat Bazar area on November 29.

Didarul later returned home on December 4, and the GD was withdrawn.

Hotel records show Room 805 was booked from November 30 to December 2 in the name of “Mr Didar”, with “DB” written in parentheses.

Rakib is currently posted at the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. Tareq, on the other hand, is in Rangamati. His transfer order had been issued earlier, but he was serving in the DB at the time. After allegations arose over the raid, he moved to Rangamati in the first week of December.

Meanwhile, the second inquiry into the discrepancy in the seizure list is presently being conducted by Munshi Shahabuddin, joint commissioner of the CTTC unit, confirmed Md Sarwar, additional commissioner (admin) of DMP.

Contacted, Munshi Shahabuddin, however, declined to comment.

The story was updated for better accuracy.