Samrat faces two new cases, Khaled and Shamim on fresh remand

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) today filed two cases for illegal possession of weapons and drugs against casino kingpin Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat.

Meanwhile, two Dhaka court put Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan and GK Shamim on fresh remand. 

The cases filed against Samrat

Two lawsuits have been lodged with the Ramna police station against casino kingpin Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat.   

Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Obaidur Rahman said the cases are under the Narcotics Control Act 2018 and the Arms Act 1878.  

Abdul Khalek, Nayeb Subedar of the Rapid Action Battalion, accused Samrat of the charges. The battalion also handed over the evidence confiscated from Samrat's Kakrail office to police.

On Sunday morning, RAB detained the ex-Jubo League leader from Cumilla. After brief interrogation at the RAB headquarters, Samrat was brought to a raid at his office.

According to the case statement, Samrat had used his political identity and power to run the casino business. He made a fortune on the illicit business. Samrat was addicted to gambling and used to visit Singapore casinos frequently.

The case statement says Samrat had been running casinos at least in 10 sporting clubs in the capital, including Motijeel, Arambagh, Fakirapool and Paltan.

Besides the casino business, he was involved in manipulating tenders floated by the government and private organisations.

Samrat formed a gang and spent huge amounts of money to maintain his cadres. The money was coming from casinos and other illicit businesses.     

During the five-hour raid at his Bhuiyan Mansion office at Kakrail, the RAB seized 19 bottles of foreign liquor, 1,160 pieces of contraband yaba tablets, two electric shock machines, kangaroo hides and a pistol.

According to the case statement, Samrat had a torture cell equipped with the electric shock devices. He used to torture people who would oppose his leadership or deny to pay him extortion.

There are a number of cases against Samrat at different police stations and he also served jail term in some cases.

After the raid, a RAB mobile court awarded Samrat with a six-month imprisonment under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012. He was later sent to the Keraniganj Central Jail.

Khaled put on another 7-day remand

A Dhaka court placed Jubo League leader Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan on another 7-day remand today in two cases filed for illegal possession of weapons and drugs.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Kanak Barua granted remand after Khaled was produced at court, said General Recording Officer Ashraful Alam.

Earlier on September 18, a RAB team detained Khaled, organising secretary of the Dhaka City South chapter of Jubo League, from his Gulshan home over running an illegal casino. 

Four cases have been filed against Khaled. He was put on remand for 7 days in two of the cases following the crackdown on illegal casinos in Dhaka on September 19.

The cases were filed under the Arms Act, the Narcotics Control Act and the Money Laundering Prevention Act. 

Later, on September 25, the Detective Branch of Police transferred the cases against Khaled to RAB for a thorough investigation.

On September 27, he was placed on 10-day remand in two cases filed for the illegal possession of weapons and drugs.

Shamim put on another 5-day remand

A Dhaka court on Monday allowed the criminal investigation department of the police to take Jubo League leader SM Golam Kibria Shamim on a previously granted five-day remand in a case filed under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.

Metropolitan Magistrate Shabbir Yasir Ahsan Chowdhury passed the order after Shamim was produced at court.

Earlier on September 20, GK Shamim, a top government-listed contractor, was detained by the RAB along with his seven bodyguards on charges of extortion and manipulating tenders. 

RAB also seized Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDR) worth Tk165 crore and around Tk1.8 crore in cash from his possession. The elite anti-crime force also confiscated illegal firearms, ammunition and drugs from Shamim's office at Niketon in the capital.

RAB later filed three cases – one under the Arms Act, one under the Narcotics Act and another under the Money Laundering Prevention Act – against Shamim.

On September 21, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Begum Mahmuda Akter placed Shamim on 10-day remand in two cases filed under the arms and narcotics acts.

He was put on remand for another nine days on October 2 in two case filed against him.