Anti-Corruption Commission official's aide arrested for 'soliciting bribe'

Detective police have arrested the personal aide to a senior official of the Anti-Corruption Commission on graft charges, reports bdnews24.com.

Gautam Bhattacharya, 42, was arrested red-handed while soliciting a bribe at a hotel in Dhaka's Motijheel on Friday, said Harunor Rashid, additional commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch, at a press conference on Saturday.

Three others were arrested alongside Gautam, an aide to a senior anti-money laundering official at the ACC, police said. The other detainees are Habibur Rahman, 42, Paritosh Mandal, 63, and Esken Ali Khan, 57. Esken Ali is a retired police constable, while the other two are brokers.

"Gautam demanded Tk 20 million after he forged the signatures of ACC officials on a letter bringing false corruption allegations against businessman Ashiquzzaman and threatened an investigation against him," Harun said.

A fake notice written on the ACC letterhead was sent to Ashiquzzaman, a prayer mat trader in the Baitul Mukarram area, accusing him of accumulating wealth illegally.

Ashiquzzaman reported the incident to the Detective Branch, who investigated the incident and laid a trap. Ashiquzzaman was sent to a hotel in Motijheel with Tk 2 million to meet with the gang.

"Police then conducted a raid and arrested Gautam and three others," Harun said.