Staff Reporter :
A Dhaka court has granted a seven-day remand for Abdur Razzak Riad, acting convener of the Combined Private University unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, along with three others, in a case filed over alleged extortion from former Member of Parliament Shammi Ahmed.
The other accused placed on the remand are Sakadaun Siam, Sadman Sadab, and Md Ibrahim Hossain.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahman passed the remand order on Sunday after a hearing. Earlier, the investigation officer, Mokhlesur Rahman, Inspector (Investigation) of Gulshan Police Station, had sought a 10-day remand for each of the accused.
The defence petitioned for bail, but the court rejected the plea and granted the seven-day remand instead.
According to the case statement, on the morning of July 17, Riad and Kazi Gaurab Apu went to the residence of former MP Shammi Ahmed on Road 83 in Gulshan.
They allegedly demanded Tk 5 million and gold ornaments. As the demand turned down, they threatened complainant Siddique Abu Zafar to hand over him to the police as an associate of the ruling Awami League.
Under pressure, Zafar reportedly paid over Tk 1 million in cash.
The accused later returned to the house on the night of July 19 and again on the afternoon of July 26, reiterating their threats and demanding the remaining Tk 4 million, warning that failure to comply would lead to his arrest.
Following the complaint, Gulshan police launched an immediate operation and arrested Riad and four others.
