Bogra Imposter Gang Busted with Extorted Cash Found

In a chilling display of audacity, a sub-assistant engineer in Bogra was abducted and held for ransom by a gang masquerading as Detective Branch (DB) police officers and journalists. The victim, 55-year-old Jahangir Alam Biplob, who serves in the Sariakandi Municipality, was intercepted in broad daylight before being coerced into paying a substantial sum for his freedom. Following a swift investigation, local authorities have apprehended three suspects linked to a political youth wing and recovered a portion of the extorted funds.

The Ambush and Extortion

The ordeal began on Monday afternoon near the Kuthibari area of Sariakandi. While Mr Biplob was travelling via motorcycle to inspect an ongoing drainage construction project, he was accosted by four individuals on two motorbikes. Exploiting the authority of law enforcement, the assailants claimed to be DB officers and informed him that a legal case had been filed against him.

Under this pretext, they forcibly escorted him to Bogra town. By 1:45 pm, the engineer was permitted to contact his wife, Anjuwara Ara, informing her of his abduction and the 500,000 BDT ransom demand. Fearing for her husband’s life, Mrs Ara negotiated the sum down to 250,000 BDT.

Ransom Delivery and Police Action

The exchange took place in two stages. Initially, the kidnappers paraded the victim in front of the Madhuban Cinema Hall to prove he was alive, where Mrs Ara handed over 160,000 BDT. Despite this payment, the captors refused to release him, demanding further funds. It was only after an additional 50,000 BDT was delivered in the Sabgram area at 5:00 pm that Mr Biplob was finally released.

Arrests and Political Controversy

Following the filing of a formal complaint at Sariakandi Police Station, the Bogra Detective Branch utilised CCTV footage to identify six individuals involved in the plot. Three suspects, including Sanjay Sarkar, the General Secretary of the 18th Ward Juba Dal, were arrested on Tuesday night.

The arrests have sparked internal political friction. Ahsan Habib Momm, President of the Bogra City Juba Dal, claimed that Sanjay Sarkar had been expelled from the party in December for disciplinary breaches. However, from police custody, Sarkar alleged that his expulsion was backdated post-arrest to shield the party’s reputation.

Inspector Iqbal Bahar, In-charge of the Bogra DB, confirmed that 116,000 BDT has been recovered so far. While three suspects have been sent to jail by the court, a manhunt remains active for the remaining three accomplices who posed as members of the press.