Arav Khan gets 10 years for carrying firearms

Rabiul Islam, alias Arav Khan, who was the subject of widespread discussions among the people and media in Bangladesh earlier this year, has been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for carrying a firearm and threatening to kill his former father-in-law with the gun eight years ago.

Judge Murshid Ahmed of Dhaka's Special Tribunal-14 also fined him Tk10,000 on Tuesday and in default of payment, he will have to serve an additional three months in jail.

Arav Khan has been tried in absentia as he is currently residing outside of the country, specifically in Dubai.

Arav became a person of interest in late March when his jewellery shop inauguration in Dubai was attended by cricketer Shakib Al Hasan.

During the inauguration, an emblem of "Arav Jewellers" was put on display which was made with 40 kilograms of gold.

The sudden prominence and extravagance invoked curiosity in netizens, who wondered who Arav was or who he had ties with.

In March this year, Interpol put Arav, also a fugitive accused in the murder case of Bangladesh Special Branch Inspector Mamun Imran Khan, on red alert.

According to the case dockets, in January 2015, Arav Khan went to his then father-in-law, Sekender Ali, in Moghbazar to collect money at gunpoint. But he was arrested in front of his father-in-law's house with a loaded revolver. On the same day, a case was filed against him with the Ramna Model Police Station.

Assistant Public Prosecutor AKM Salahuddin, who represented the state in the case, told reporters that the court sentenced Aarav Khan because the charges brought against him were proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

He said the absconding accused can appeal the verdict in the High Court by surrendering.

The tribunal judge also asked the police to submit a progress report on the accused's arrest within the next month, added the state lawyer.

Arav got bail in the case in March 2018 and then went absconding, prompting the trial court to issue it in October of the same year.

Robiul Islam, son of Motiur Rahman Molla and Lucky Begum from Gopalganj, moved to Dhaka at some point and then changed his name. He also used many other aliases, such as Apan, Shohag, Hridoy and Hridhi.

Media reports reveal his source of income to be the extortion of affluent people. To pile on, Arav was charged with murder in 2018.

In a charge sheet against Robiul after the SB inspector murder case, the Detective Branch of the police said a gang led by Robiul used to trap affluent people, blackmail them, and extort money from them.

Arms case 

On 28 March, the court heard the testimonies of 10 out of 20 prosecution witnesses. Arav Khan could not claim his innocence as he was absconding.

Earlier in March 2015, the investigating officer filed a charge sheet against Arav Khan in court.

The same year, the court ordered the trial to begin by framing charges against Arav.