Law enforcement agencies have not yet been able to nab top fraud Md Shahed Karim.
More than a week has elapsed since the sealing of his Regent Hospitals in connection with the Covid-19 fake report scam. But Shahed Karim is still at large.
However, several top officers of various units of the Bangladesh Police, on condition of anonymity, said he is already under their scanner.
They also hinted that they will be able to arrest the top criminal any time soon.
Earlier on Monday night, getting unverified information that Shahed was hiding in Moulvibazar district, various units of police and BGB intensified surveillance in the district. On tracking his phone, police suspected that Shahed may attempt to escape from the country through the border of the district. Police started keeping a close watch on all resorts and hotels in the district.
In the latest development, a Dhaka court on Tuesday sent seven staff of the Regent Hospitals to jail. They were arrested in a case filed on various charges including issuance of fake coronavirus certificates.
The persons sent to jail are medical technologist Hatim Ali, project admin of Regent Group Rakibul Islam Sumon, HR admin manager of Regent Group Amit Banik, driver Abdus Salam, administrative officer Md Ahasan Habib, health technician Md Ahsan Habib, and a hospital employee Abdur Rashid Khan Jewel.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Devdas Chandra Adhikary passed the order.
Earlier, police submitted a prayer for sending them to jail following the end of their remand period.
Inspector Md Alamgir Gazi of the Uttara west police station, who is also the investigation officer of the case, produced the accused before the court.
Earlier on July 8, a Dhaka court put them on a five-day remand each in the case.
On July 6, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospitals on allegations that they were issuing fake Covid-19 certificates, and charging exorbitant fees as well for Covid-19 testing and treatment of patients.
The RAB mobile court found evidence of at least 6,000 fake Covid-19 test certificates during the raid.
A day later, RAB sealed the head office of the Regent Hospitals at the directives of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and a case was filed against 17 people, including Regent Group Chairman Shahed, with the Uttara West police station.
The DGHS ordered the closure of both the Mirpur and Uttara branches of the Regent Hospitals the same day.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday sent two separate letters to the Bangladesh Bank (BB) and the DGHS seeking financial information and other documents relating to Shahed for further investigation into the case.
ACC Deputy Director Abu Bakar Siddique sent the letters to the DGHS director and the head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) under central bank on Tuesday.
ACC Director (Media) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya confirmed the matter.
“We have sought information regarding bank accounts of Shahed. At the same time, necessary documents related to Regent Hospitals have been sought from the Department of Health.”
The ACC formed a three-member committee led by ACC Deputy Director Abu Bakar Siddique to carry on a thorough probe into the allegations against Shahed on Monday. The other members of the committee are Neyamul Hasan Gazi, Sheikh Mohammad, and Golam Mawla.
During the primary investigations, the ACC found a lot of evidences against Shahed’s involvement in embezzlement of huge money by cheating people in the guise of micro-credit and MLM business.
The anti-corruption watchdog also received allegations of income tax dodging, and taking bank loans under fake names and identities, against Shahed.
