Investigation Into Numerous Fraudulent July-Related Cases Uncovers Shocking Findings, Evidence of Forgery Emerges

❐ BD Digest Desk

The investigation into multiple murder cases filed around July has revealed alarming information. Investigations by various special police units have found that living people have been shown to be dead, long-dead people have been accused, and even cases have been filed against non-existent people and fake identities.

According to the officials involved in the investigation, an organized group has intentionally filed these cases to harass innocent people and extort money.

In one such incident, a murder case was filed against Rahat Hasan Bipu, the manager of the Rose View Hotel in Jatrabari, in July, claiming that he had been killed. However, after a lengthy investigation, the police say that the incident was different.

The investigation revealed that on the morning of August 14, 2024, three men were lynched in Sayedabad area on charges of gang-raping a woman. One of them, Rahat Hasan Bipu, died after being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition. Later, his wife Rubina Akhter filed a murder case (Case No. 20/2024) with Jatrabari Police Station, claiming that he was killed in July.

More than 150 people were accused in that case. Later, a separate application was made to the court to drop the names of some of them in exchange for money, but the court did not accept it. (Source: Daily Manabzamin)

Similar information was also found in the investigation in Araihazar, Narayanganj. Babul Mia, the vice-president of Dustara Union BNP, who died in 2023, was shown dead on August 4, 2024, and a murder case was filed. 131 people were accused in case No. 08/24 of Araihazar Police Station. The investigation proved that the allegations in the case have no basis.

A murder case was filed in the court (CR Case No. 35/2024) in a case filed by the capital’s North-East Police Station, claiming that the deceased, who was alive, was killed in July. More than a hundred people were accused in the case. Later, the investigation revealed that the alleged deceased was alive and the allegations of the body being missing after the murder were completely baseless.

Another similar incident took place in Ashulia. There, a murder case (CR Case No. 1627/24) was registered against an unidentified person who was killed in July using a fake name, address and national identity card. The police investigation did not find any existence of the plaintiff.

However, in this case too, multiple affidavits were submitted to the court to remove the names of the accused. Investigators say that information about financial transactions was found here too.

The investigation also revealed that not only murder cases, but hundreds of cases were filed in July, showing injuries in accidents, personal fights, or burns as injuries.

There are allegations that many plaintiffs in these cases later expressed their unwillingness to pursue the case in exchange for money or tried to withdraw the names of the defendants.

Multiple reports from the Police Headquarters, CID and other investigative agencies have found information on at least 110 suspicious cases. In cases where the investigation found false information, false allegations or evidence of fraud, the process of taking legal action against the plaintiffs has been initiated. Cases have already been filed in some cases and the remaining information has been sent to the International Crimes Tribunal.

Meanwhile, the Police Criminal Investigation Department (PBI) has also received allegations of using the July incident to settle personal disputes in the investigation of several cases.

The investigation found that false cases were filed to frame opponents over money owed, family disputes, or divorce. There was even evidence that the motorcycle accident was presented as being related to the July protests.

A senior official of an investigation agency, who did not wish to be named, said that an organized gang filed a case, accused various people, including businessmen, and sent copies of the complaint to them, demanding money.

The investigation found that in many cases, the alleged victims, plaintiffs, and locations were all fabricated. In some cases, charges were filed to harass political opponents. Even names of people who were abroad at the time of the incident or who had died long ago were added to the list of accused. Since the investigation did not find any truth in these allegations, the people concerned were acquitted from the case.

International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Abdullah Al Noman said that the police special unit’s investigation report found information about many fake plaintiffs.

He said that the Chief Prosecutor has already ordered the Superintendents of Police and related units of all districts of the country to send information about such cases. After verifying this information, action will be taken against those who filed false cases as per the law. The tribunal will take action on the cases pending in the tribunal and other cases will be sent to the relevant courts.

In his words, there will be no way to avoid liability if someone is harassed by filing a false case.