5 held over Tk1.21cr dacoity
The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested five people and recovered Tk12 lakh after a gang robbed Tk1.21 crore from employees of a DL Petrol Pump on Airport Road in Uttara.
DB Chief Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam disclosed the information at a briefing at Minto Road in Dhaka on Saturday, saying eight to 10 people were involved in the robbery and efforts were underway to arrest the remaining suspects and recover the stolen money.
The Tk1.21 crore robbery took place when employees of the DL Petrol Pump were carrying the cash to Pubali Bank’s Sector 1 branch in Uttara on Sunday morning. Five suspects Md Elias Sikdar, Zafar, Md Rabiul Islam alias Rubel, Mintu Rarhi and Sagar Baroi were arrested during separate drives in Narayanganj and different parts of Dhaka yesterday, the DB chief said.
Police recovered four 7.65mm pistols, six magazines, 21 rounds of ammunition, Tk12 lakh in stolen cash, fake Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) identity cards, vests, caps, walkie-talkies, handcuffs, multiple number plates and a motorcycle from their possession. According to Shafiqul Islam, investigators first arrested Elias and Zafar in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.
Acting on information obtained from them, police subsequently arrested Rubel in Matuail and Mintu in Kazlarpar, Jatrabari.
Police recovered Tk3 lakh from Rubel’s rented house. Another Tk9 lakh was recovered from Sagar after his arrest in the Postogola area.
Sagar has 13 cases against him, while Rubel faces four cases, Mintu three, Zafar two and Elias one, the DB chief said.
He added that Sagar had previously been involved in similar robberies in Dhaka, intercepting people carrying cash from financial institutions using motorcycles and microbuses.
The DB said the investigation indicated that the gang had more members than those initially visible on CCTV footage.
“We saw eight people on CCTV. They said there were two more,” Shafiqul Islam said, adding that around six to seven other people were involved and more money remained to be recovered.
He said the stolen money was divided among the perpetrators, with the alleged masterminds receiving larger shares and others receiving shares according to the support they provided.
“The main mastermind who organised the heist is still absconding. Three of those arrested actively participated in the robbery. We have not found any involvement from anyone at the petrol pump so far. Once the mastermind is caught, more details will emerge,” Shafiqul said.
The robbery occurred on Sunday morning in front of Crowne Plaza on Airport Road as DL Petrol Pump employees were taking the cash to the bank.
According to the case statement, Assistant Manager Mohammad Al Amin, CNG operator Selimuzzaman and covered van driver Khorshed were carrying the cash bag when six to seven assailants riding three motorcycles intercepted their vehicle.
The attackers threatened them at gunpoint, slashed Al Amin with a machete and fled towards Abdullahpur with the cash bag.
Following the incident, pump manager Abdul Karim filed a case with Airport Police Station against six to seven unidentified people.
The DL Petrol Pump is owned by Tasin Akhter Haque, a cousin of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
His mother, the late Khurshid Jahan Haque, was the elder sister of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
The DB said investigations were continuing to identify and arrest the remaining suspects and recover the rest of the stolen money.
