AL leader Shahed faked his own COVID-19 positive report

AL leader Shahed faked his own COVID-19 positive report

Md Shahed alias Shahed Karim, a member of the International Affairs Sub-Committee of Awami League and Regent Group Chairman, admitted that he made a fake certificate to show him Covid-19 positive, investigators said yesterday.

He prepared the certificate through one of his trusted aides. He asked his aide to collect samples from a Covid-19 positive patient first and then prepare a certificate for him using the sample, they added.

Shahed disclosed this during interrogation, said DB officials.

During a remand hearing in a Dhaka court on Thursday, Shahed alias Shahed Karim claimed that he was Covid-19 positive.

Detectives, however, said he staged the drama of being infected with coronavirus so that he could gain sympathy and police did not get close to him for interrogation.

"Shahed did not have any Covid-19 symptoms," Kazi Shafiqul Alam, deputy commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) Uttara division, said yesterday when he was asked about the matter.

Yesterday was the first day of 10-day remand for Shahed. He tried to sneeze after putting tissue papers inside his nose, according to investigation sources.

He revealed his whereabouts and the journey from Dhaka to Satkhira, said investigators.

Shahed told detectives that he first tried to communicate with some influential people he knew after Rab raided Regent Hospital on July 6.

But when he found the situation went beyond his control, he attempted to leave the country through Akhaura border first but failed, said a DB high official, requesting anonymity.

Shahed returned to Dhaka and stayed for a day. He then went to Cox's Bazar and took shelter in a friend's house.

Investigators said Shahed went to his friend's house in Cox's Bazar from Dhaka in a luxury car which had a fake registration plate so that law enforcers could not get details of its owner.

Investigators are now conducting drives to recover the car.

Then Shahed went to Jashore to cross the border, but he failed again. He finally decided to cross the border from his home town in Satkhira, said an official, quoting him as saying.

A Rab team arrested Shahed in Satkhira's Debhata upazila on Wednesday while he was trying to cross a river to flee to India on a boat.

DC Shafiqul said Shahed is giving different types of information during interrogation, but they are trying to get details of his associates, who are involved in his fraudulent business.

"We got some clues and we are now analysing these so that we can take action against the offenders," he added.

On July 7, a mobile court of Rab sealed off Regent Hospital, owned by Shahed, in the capital's Uttara on charges of issuing several thousand fake Covid-19 test certificates and swindling a huge amount of money.

A day later, Inspector Zulhas Mia of Rab-1 filed a case with Uttara Paschim Police Station against Shahed and 16 others.

Lt Col Ashique Billah, director of Rab's legal and media wing, said, "We have already written to the Police Headquarters requesting it to hand us over the charge of investigation in Shahed's case. But it may take some time as it also requires the home ministry's permission."