The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to interview the people who fell into the traps of fraudsters posing as ACC officials recently.
ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain on Monday confirmed the matter to journalists while talking at a press conference held at the commission’s head office in the capital.
He said that those who fell into the clutches of the posers will also be brought under interrogation. Akhtar Hossain said that 5 fraudsters were caught on Monday.
ACC said that a group of fraudsters had been forging signatures of officials at various levels, starting from the chairman, and collecting extortion money over mobile phones. NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah made a complaint in this regard to the ACC and posted it on Facebook.
The anti-graft body immediately took action, arresting five members of the gang from the Mugda area of the capital in the last two days. Four of them were arrested at different times and released on bail, but were involved in the same crime, said ACC’s Director General Akhtar Hossain.
Another fraudster arrested for impersonating ACC official and journalist
Law enforcement agencies have arrested Sohag Patwary, another member of an organised gang that impersonated an ACC official and journalist.
He was arrested from the Mugda area of the capital on Monday. ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) Md Akhtarul Islam confirmed the matter.
ACC said that Sohag Patwari’s home is in Daspara village of Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur. He used to live in a rented house in the capital’s South Manda area. During his arrest, a camera, boom, selfie stick, mobile phone and visiting cards of several organisations including Samakal, Asian TV and FC TV were seized from him.
During initial questioning, Sohag admitted that he had been defrauding people on social media for a long time by using the names and pictures of the ACC chairman, director general and directors. He used to impersonate journalists and defraud people and extort money.
Meanwhile, the ACC on Sunday arrested the ringleaders of this gang, Md Selim of Badalkhali village in Pirojpur Sadar upazila, Md Tariqul Islam of Keshrampur village in Morelganj upazila of Bagerhat, Md Atiq of Mugda area of Dhaka, and Md Abdul Hai Sohag of Shayestanagar village in Senbag upazila of Noakhali.
ACC further said that the circle used a fake media outlet and the name of the Anti-Corruption Commission to extort money from the common people. The anti-corruption officials came to the notice of this fraud circle on 24 June, when Hasnat Abdullah, the leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), posted a post on Facebook.
Taking cognizance of the post, the ACC formed a five-member investigation committee headed by a director. In this context, with the help of RAB, police and other agencies, the gang was identified and five people were arrested one by one. A case was filed at Ramna Model Police Station on Sunday regarding the incident.
The ACC also said that it is investigating whether anyone else is involved in the gang and the investigation is ongoing.
Courtesy: Daily Sun.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
