Five arrested for lobbying with forged PM seals and signatures

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB) has arrested five members of an organized gang that had allegedly been carrying out lobbying and fraud for a long time by forging the seals, signatures and official letterheads of the prime minister, ministers, state ministers, members of parliament, secretaries and other senior government officials.

According to DMP officials, the gang did not stop at producing forged documents. They also allegedly copied the prime minister’s ‘priority’ seal and created a fake WhatsApp number using the photograph of the prime minister’s protocol officer in an attempt to exert influence over government officials.

The arrested individuals are Md. Faruk Hossain (41), Sakib Khan (25), Masum Munsi (43), Mir Touhidul Islam (36), and Md. Bakul Mondal (43).

DB chief and Additional Police Commissioner Mohammad Shafiqul Islam disclosed the information at a press conference held at the DMP Media Center on Minto Road in the capital on Tuesday afternoon.

The DB chief said, “The gang used the identities of senior government officials to exert influence over individuals and organizations, prepare fake recommendation letters, and attempt to obtain illegal benefits through various forms of lobbying.”

“An investigation revealed that arrested suspect Md. Faruk Hossain joined the ‘Seven TTC Establishment’ project under the then Ministry of Labor and Employment as an electrician in 2006. After being dismissed from his job in 2014, he resorted to forgery in an attempt to get his job back. For this purpose, he prepared a file by forging the seals, signatures and official letterheads of the prime minister, four ministers, various state ministers, members of parliament, secretaries and senior government officials. The file contained forged signatures of four ministers and the prime minister. At the same time, a fake copy of the prime minister’s ‘priority’ seal was used in an attempt to expedite the matter.”

According to the DB chief, Faruk Hossain later formed an organized forgery gang while continuing his efforts to get reinstated in his job. They began conducting lobbying activities on behalf of various individuals and organizations.

Their activities were not limited to forging written documents. A fake WhatsApp number was created using the photograph of the prime minister’s protocol officer, and the gang used it to communicate with relevant officials and pressure them to expedite various recruitment and administrative processes. Using the same method, a forged recommendation letter concerning the export of manpower to Moldova was also presented to the relevant authorities.

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam said, “Based on long term intelligence surveillance and information and data, Md. Faruk Hossain and Sakib Khan were arrested during an operation in the Kalkini area of Madaripur on August 4. Multiple official letterheads, including pads belonging to ministers of several ministries and the Cabinet Secretary, were recovered from them. At the same time, based on information provided by them, Mir Touhidul Islam was arrested in Madaripur. In addition, Masum Munsi, who was in the custody of Kalkini Police Station, was taken into DB custody. The investigation revealed that Masum Munsi and Touhidul Islam had been producing forged seals and signatures for a long time. Later, another member of the gang, Md. Bakul Mondal, was arrested during an operation in the area of Kushtia Model Police Station.”

During the operations, police seized 41 seals bearing the names and signatures of various senior officials, eight mobile phones used in fraudulent activities, two computers and one laptop from the gang.

The seized digital devices and documents are undergoing forensic examination and analysis. The investigation is underway to determine the scope of the gang’s activities, identify potential victims and establish the identities of other associates.

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam said the process of filing a case in connection with the incident is underway. If the forensic examination report and investigation reveal the involvement of anyone else, legal action will also be taken against them. No one will be spared.