Six people, including two members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and a member of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party, have been arrested over the alleged kidnapping of a businessman in Dhaka.
The suspects are accused of holding him captive in Mohammadpur and demanding Tk 100,000 in ransom.
They were detained in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Saturday night after the businessman escaped and sought help from police near Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute.
The suspects were later handed over to Mohammadpur Police Station.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ashraful Haque subsequently sent them to jail.
The arrestees are DGFI headquarters Sergeant Al Mamun, 39, and Lance Corporal Nuruzzaman, 31; Ansar member Sohel Rana, 32; private company security guard Mukul Gazi, 26; Mahfuzur Rahman, 22; and Ziaul Islam, 35.
Sonia, 30, and Fonirul, also known as Monirul, 45 -- identified by single names, have also been accused in the case.
The case was filed by Md Sharif, a motorcycle dealer from Shyamoli, who alleged that he was lured to a house in Chandrima Model Town on Saturday under the pretext of buying a motorcycle.
According to the first information report, Sharif knew Sohel because they lived in neighbouring houses.
Sohel took him to the house, where a woman named Sonia was introduced as Sohel’s sister.
After Sohel left the room, the other suspects allegedly arrived, assaulted Sharif and demanded Tk 100,000.
Sharif said he paid Tk 70,000 but was beaten again because the group was unhappy with the amount.
He tried to arrange the remaining money by calling his family but was kept captive, the complaint said.
Around 3am, the suspects took Sharif out of the house and put him in a Toyota vehicle parked opposite the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
When the suspects stepped out to have tea, Sharif spotted a police patrol vehicle and sought help. Officers intervened and arrested the six.
Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the arrests became complicated after two of the suspects were identified as DGFI members.
Officials from Army Headquarters later visited the police station to verify their identities. The suspects were subsequently formally arrested and produced before the court.
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police chief Monirul Islam said officers had set up a checkpoint near the hospital.
After Sharif sought help, they questioned the people in the vehicle, confirmed the kidnapping and arrested the suspects before handing them over to Mohammadpur Police Station along with the vehicle.