The three-member probe committee found truth in the allegations against the eight suspended policemen of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) about extorting Tk 1 lakh from a physician of the city.
RMP Commissioner M Obaidullah confirmed to The Daily Star that the probe committee's head and Assistant Commissioner (training) Khalid Bin Noor submitted the report.
Upon the report, the RMP authority filed a departmental case against two sub-inspectors and five constables and sent recommendation to higher authorities for filing same departmental case against the involved assistant commissioner, the RMP boss told the correspondent last night.
He said the incident will be thoroughly investigated again under the case, and if the accused persons are proved to be involved, they will be given punishment as per laws.
Obaidullah said the report found that Assistant Commissioner M Tawfiqul Alam and two sub-inspectors (SI) Matiur Rahman and Masud Rana jointly received the extortion money after a group of eight policemen went to raid the house of Dr Abdur Rafique Basunia without any warrant Wednesday.
Basunia, a physician-turned-businessman of Laxmipur Mithur More area in Rajshahi city, lodged a complaint with the RMP commissioner Friday alleging that he was extorted Tk 1 lakh by a group of policemen.
Based on the complaint, the probe committee was formed and asked to report within Saturday. The other committee members were Assistant Commissioner (Motihar zone) Masud Alam and Reserve Office Inspector Rabindranath Biswas.
In the meantime, the involved cops returned Tk 50,000 to Dr Basunia and promised to return the rest soon.
Earlier on Thursday, all the eight cops confessed to the extortion while being interrogated by local police officials, and they were suspended and closed to the metropolitan police lines.
The RMP boss said punitive actions would be taken locally within 15 days against the two sub-inspectors and five constables involved. For necessary actions against the involved Assistant Commissioner M Tawfiqul Islam, the probe report was forwarded to police headquarters in Dhaka, he added.
"It is unfortunate to find a high-ranking police official involved in the incident", he said adding that the probe committee did not make any recommendations, as it does not hold the authority.
Source : The Daily Star
