Real life 'Aynabaji': Man arrested for impersonating another in court
On 11 December 2024, Nabiz Uddin, who is charged in a fraud case, was supposed to surrender before the Chattogram Senior Judicial Magistrate Court. Instead, Azir Uddin appeared in his place, pretending to be Nabiz.
In a bizarre case resembling the plot of the popular Bangla film Aynabaji, a man named Azir Uddin was caught impersonating another person, Nabiz Uddin, in a court hearing for a fraud case after which he was sent to jail yesterday (27 January).
The deception came to light after Azir's fingerprints were scanned at the Chattogram Jail, revealing his true identity.
Following the revelation, jail authorities informed the court about the impersonation. Azir was produced before the Senior Judicial Magistrate Mahmudul Haque's court yesterday where he admitted that he had been coerced into this act by Nazmul Hossain, Nabiz Uddin's brother.
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Azir, a former worker at a re-rolling mill in Narayanganj, claimed that Nazmul had promised him a job in Chattogram and convinced him to stand in for Nabiz at the court.
On 11 December 2024, Nabiz Uddin, who is charged in a fraud case, was supposed to surrender before the Chattogram Senior Judicial Magistrate Court. Instead, Azir Uddin appeared in his place, pretending to be Nabiz. The court denied bail and sent Azir to jail. However, during routine fingerprint verification, jail authorities discovered that the man posing as Nabiz was actually Azir Uddin.
The fraud case behind the impersonation
The original fraud case dates back to 7 September 2023, when a businessman, Md Jasim Uddin from Chattogram's Mirsarai Upazila, filed a case accusing Akhtar Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, and Nabiz Uddin of swindling him out of Tk400,000. The trio allegedly deceived Jasim by promising to deliver goods to his shop but never fulfilled their commitment. Police later filed charges against the accused, leading to the issuance of arrest warrants in January 2024.
On 11 December, when Nabiz was supposed to surrender, Azir appeared in court instead. While Azir's ruse initially succeeded, it unraveled when the jail authorities matched his fingerprints against the national database.
New fraud charges filed
Senior Judicial Magistrate Mahmudul Haque has now filed a new fraud case against Azir Uddin and Nazmul Hossain for orchestrating the deception. Both have been named as defendants, with Nazmul facing additional arrest warrants. The court also directed Azir to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Additionally, Magistrate Mahmudul Haque questioned lawyer T.R. Khan, who represented Azir as Nabiz, for failing to verify the defendant's identity. T.R. Khan admitted to receiving a photocopy of a fake national ID card in Nabiz's name but cited time constraints as the reason for not cross-checking its authenticity.
Fingerprint technology exposes identity
The Chattogram jail authorities began using fingerprint identification and verification systems in January 2023 to enhance security and prevent identity fraud. This system played a crucial role in uncovering Azir's real identity. Jail officials have reported multiple instances where the technology has exposed false identities, leading to legal action.
Expert urge greater vigilance
Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram District Bar Association, emphasized the need for greater vigilance among lawyers. "No lawyer should submit a power of attorney without a properly verified national ID. Legal professionals must ensure that no loopholes allow for such fraudulent activities," he said.
This peculiar case has captured public attention, with many drawing parallels to the plot of Aynabaji. However, for Azir Uddin, his attempt to impersonate someone else has landed him in deeper legal trouble, and his promised job in Chattogram is now a distant dream.
