RMP deputy commissioner accused of taking bribe, plaintiff beaten in custody

A deputy commissioner of the Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RMP) allegedly beat the representative of a businessperson at a police station in the city after the latter came to file a complaint against the police official over taking bribes.

The incident occurred at the Kotwali police station on Thursday while the official facing the allegations was deputy commissioner (crime) Mohammad Shibli Kaiser. He has been attached to the crime and operation department after the incident.

An internal general diary was filed over the incident. Police, however, registered a case over extortion allegation brought by the victim, but did not name the official in it.

DC Shibli Kaiser declined to comment on the matter of beating the plaintiff and bribe allegations.

According to local police, a case was filed against Lipi Khan Varosha, a businessperson from Haragach area of Rangpur, on 13 November last year, on allegation of launching attacks on the anti-discrimination student movement. After that, DC Shibli Kaiser allegedly sought Tk 1 million in bribe from Lipi Khan via Rangpur Metropolitan chamber director Amit Banik, and Lipi Khan filed a complaint against Shibli Kaiser to the police headquarters on 11 March along with several audio clips of conversations on demanding bribes. Later, Shibli Kaiser called Amit Banik to the Kotwali police station around 12:00 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Palash Hasan, 27, a manager of Lipi Khan’s business firm, went to the police station around 4:00 pm on Friday while DC Shibli Kaiser came to the police station around 5:00 pm. At that time, another deputy police commissioner (crime) Habibur Rahman was also present on the spot.

Witnesses said Shibli Kaiser started beating the victims just after entering the police station, and, at one stage, he snatched a rifle from an on-duty constable and tried to shoot the victim.

Prothom Alo could not reach victim Palash Hasan over mobile phone. Lipi Khan, however, told Prothom Alo that Shibli Kaiser beat Palash Hasan as the latter went to file a case against the police official.

Kotwali police station officer-in-charge (OC) Ataur Rahman denied the allegation of a beating incident.

However, deputy commissioner (crime) Habibur Rahman confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo. He said, “Shibli Kaiser went to the Kotwali police station around 5:00 pm. He learned that a case is going to be filed against him, which made him angry and an unwanted event took place between him and the plaintiff. At one stage, he tried to snatch the rifle of a sentry, but those who were present subdued him.”

An internal GD was filed over the incident and the police higher authorities were informed about the matter.

Shibli Kaiser declined to comment, saying he was withdrawn from the deputy commissioner (crime).

When asked, RMP police commissioner Md Majid Ali told Prothom Alo, “There is nothing to hide over the incident that happened at the police station. A senior police official was present at the scene. I directed him to file a report. The matter is now under investigation.”

Meanwhile, an extortion case was filed against a lone accused, Amit Banik, at the Kotwali police station around 7:30 pm on Thursday. Police took him into custody before filing the case, later showed him arrested in the case. He was produced to the court on Friday and the court sent him to jail.

Businessperson Lipi Khan alleged she sent her representative Palash Hasan to file a case against Shilbi Kaisar, Amit Banik and Kamrul Varosha over bribe allegations on Thursday afternoon. Since then, she could not contact him. Later, police took him home around 3:00 am on Friday, and she learned today that Shilbi Kaisar and two others were left out of the case statement.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Chandan Kumar, father-in-law of Amit Banik, said, “An extortion case was filed against his son-in-law, but Shilbi Kaisar was not named in it. Yet, he is the original fact.”

Regarding the matter, RMP commissioner Md Majid Ali said the audio clips contained the conversation of the accused with another person where money was demanded in the name of a police official. Action would be taken upon investigation, he added.