‘You all took Tk 12.8 million’: Police officer implicated by that audio

Six years ago in Dhaka, Additional Superintendent of Police Kaisar Rizvi Quraishi came into the spotlight over allegations that he abducted then CID Sub-Inspector (SI) Aksadud Zaman and extorted Tk 14.2 million from his wife as ransom. In that incident, an audio recording of a phone conversation between Aksadud Zaman’s wife Tahmina Yasmin and police officer Kaisar Quraishi spread on social media. Tahmina Yasmin is heard saying, “You all took Tk 12.8 million. Didn’t I personally give you Tk 1.4 million?”

Following an investigation into a departmental case over the incident, a recommendation has recently been made to dismiss Kaisar Quraishi from service and to impose various punishments on five other members of his team. Kaisar Quraishi is currently serving as an Additional Superintendent of Police at the headquarters of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) in Uttara.

The investigation officer of the departmental case was Dewan Jalal Uddin Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner of the Motijheel Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

When asked about the matter last Saturday, Dewan Jalal Uddin Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that the allegations against Additional Superintendent of Police Kaisar Quraishi and six members of his team had been found to be true. After completing the investigation, a report has been submitted to Police Headquarters.

Those recommended for punishment, besides Additional Superintendent of Police Kaisar Rizvi Quraishi, are Detective Branch (DB) Inspectors Zahidur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman; SI Masudul Islam; Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) Prakash Chandra Guha and Md Julhas Mia; and Constable Masud Rana.

According to the investigation report, following Rules 7, 8, and 11 of the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018, along with other relevant provisions, Kaisar Quraishi has been found guilty under Rules 3(a), 3(b), and 3(d) of inefficiency, misconduct, and corruption.

The Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018 define corruption as a serious misconduct or irregularity. As a result, there are provisions for severe punishment such as dismissal or removal from service. It treats abuse of administrative power, taking bribes, and misuse of public office for personal gain as offences. It provides for departmental punishment as well as criminal cases. In addition to departmental punishment, there is also the possibility of filing criminal cases and arrest through the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

According to the departmental investigation report, a recommendation has been made for severe punishment of one year for Inspector Md Zahidur Rahman and suspension of promotion for one year for Inspector Mizanur Rahman. SI Masudul Islam has been recommended a minor punishment of one month’s salary deduction, ASI Prakash Chandra Guha 15 days’ salary deduction, ASI Md Julhas Mia 15 days’ salary deduction, and Constable SM Masud Rana three days’ salary deduction.

The report states that the responsibility of the team members lies with Kaisar Quraishi. He cannot avoid responsibility for illegal activities. Due to his negligence and collusion, the team collectively committed the offence in an attempt to deliberately conceal the truth. Departmental action has been taken as punishment against them.

When contacted on Monday, Additional Inspector General (AIG) KM Awlad Hossain of Police Headquarters told Prothom Alo, “I have not yet received the file of the departmental case against Kaisar Quraishi and six police members. When the file comes to me through the systematic process, then I will be able to comment on it.”

However, Police Headquarters spokesperson and Assistant Inspector General AHM Shahadat Hossain told Prothom Alo that the report of the departmental case against Kaisar Quraishi will be sent from Police Headquarters to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry will decide on the matter.

Speaking on the issue, Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik told Prothom Alo that abduction and ransom demand are criminal offences. In that case, the police officer and his team should be prosecuted and jailed. But instead, a departmental case has been used to protect police officers. A departmental case is an administrative action. Its maximum punishment is dismissal or removal from service.

On 28 February, speaking to journalists after a meeting with heads of government departments at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room in Jhenaidah, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman had said that if any government official commits corruption, not only will they lose their job, but cases will also be filed against them.

Six years ago, on 26 November 2020, allegations arose that then Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Detective Branch Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kaisar Rizvi Quraishi and five members of his team abducted then CID Sub-Inspector (SI) Aksadud Zaman and extorted Tk 14.2 million as ransom from his wife.

In that incident of bribery and money exchange, an audio recording of a phone conversation between Aksadud Zaman’s wife Tahmina Yasmin and DB ADC Kaisar Quraishi spread on social media. After nearly a year-long investigation, the Ministry of Home Affairs found the incident to be true. The report then recommended suspending Kaisar Quraishi and punishing five members of his team.

According to police sources, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kaisar Quraishi was not suspended. Later, he was transferred to the APBn headquarters in Uttara. Four members of his team were ordered to face departmental action, but it was not implemented. Meanwhile, SI Masudul Islam was temporarily suspended and one month’s salary was deducted.

When contacted on Saturday, Kaisar Quraishi told Prothom Alo, “I have read the report of the departmental case against me. What is written there, the state or the government will decide accordingly.”

On 19 October 2020, Dubai expatriate Roman Mia was caught by criminals while on his way to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. He was travelling by a CNG-run auto-rickshaw with his cousin Monir Hossain. Near the Kawla pedestrian bridge, their path was blocked by a microbus and motorcycles. Monir was pushed off the road, and identifying themselves as DB police, the criminals took Roman Mia into the microbus. He was handcuffed, blindfolded, and tortured. At one point, $5,000 and 2,000 dirhams (currency of the United Arab Emirates) were taken from him, and he was later abandoned in the Rampura area.

The next day, Roman filed a case at the Airport police station. The investigation of the case was assigned to the DB. The supervising officer of the investigation was ADC Kaisar Rizvi Quraishi, and the investigating officer was DB SI Masudul Islam.

According to DB sources, evidence was found during the investigation that SI Aksadud Zaman and eight others were involved in the abduction and robbery of expatriate Roman Mia. A charge sheet was filed against them in the case.

At that time, SI Aksadud Zaman was serving in CID. It was revealed in the DB investigation that while being in the police force, he had amassed substantial wealth through robbery.

However, Aksadud Zaman told Prothom Alo that while investigating a mobile financial fraud case, he discovered an organised criminal syndicate based in Madaripur and Shariatpur. He came to know that the syndicate was laundering money abroad through hundi. At that time, CID instructed him to investigate money laundering. Later, while investigating further, he came to know about Roman Mia.

Aksadud alleged that due to Kaisar Rizvi’s prior acquaintance with Roman Mia, he took over the investigation of the case from DB. At that time, Kaisar Rizvi was serving in the Airport Zone team of the Uttara Division of DB.

The investigation committee report of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was formed after the audio conversation of Aksadud’s wife was leaked, describes the incident of him being picked up and the extortion of ransom.

According to it, on the morning of 26 November 2020, while Aksadud was on his way to the CID office, he reached Malibagh intersection when he was detained by Kaisar Rizvi and members of his team and taken to the DB office.

There, he was told that five more people had been arrested in connection with the robbery involving the expatriate Roman Mia in Kawla. It was said that they had named Aksadud in the case.

At one point, discussions took place about how to get them released from the allegations. Kaisar Rizvi demanded 20 million taka.

At that time, through Kaisar Rizvi’s phone, Aksadud spoke with his wife over WhatsApp. Later, all the detained individuals were allowed to speak to their family members over mobile phones. As instructed, everyone left money at Aksadud’s house.

The investigation report states that Aksadud gave 3.3 million taka, and the remaining five persons gave 9.5 million taka. That same evening, Kaisar Rizvi and members of his team went to his residence in Khilgaon Jheelpar area with Aksadud and collected 12.8 million taka.

After that, Aksadud was taken back to the DB office. Later, his wife gave Kaisar Rizvi an additional 1.4 million taka. Aksadud was released on 28 November.

The case filed by expatriate Roman Mia continued. Among those arrested in that case was Hasan Raja. He later gave a confessional statement in court, claiming that Aksadud was also involved in the incident of abducting Roman Mia and robbing him of money.

In this case, on 22 May 2022, the DB submitted a charge sheet to the court accusing nine people, including Aksadud Zaman. The other accused named in the charge sheet are Selim Molla, Ripon Morol, Amir Hossain, Riju Mia Sikdar, Hasan Raja, Milon Morol, Monir Hossain, and stationery businessman Mosharraf Hossain.

Earlier, based on a DB report, the CID temporarily suspended Aksadud Zaman on 18 August 2021.

About a week later, on 31 August, Aksadud filed a written complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs against Kaisar Rizvi Quraishi and seven members of the DB team.

Within a week, on 8 September, the audio of a phone conversation between Aksadud’s wife and DB officer Kaisar Rizvi regarding financial transactions spread on social media.

On the same day, Aksadud was arrested by the DB from Pirganj in Rangpur. He was later permanently dismissed from service. Aksadud is currently on bail in that case.