RAB charges Jubo League leaders Samrat and Arman in court over drugs

The Rapid Action Battalion or RAB has charged expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Chowdhury Samrat and his aide Enamul Haque Arman in court in a case started under the Narcotics Control Act.

RAB-2’s Sub-Inspector Md Abdul Halim, the investigation officer of the case, filed the charges with Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on Monday, said SI Mahmudur Rahman, general registration officer of the court.

They are charged with possession of 19 bottles of liquor and over Tk 300,000 worth of yaba tablets.

“The hearing of the case has been scheduled for Dec 15. The charge-sheet will be presented in court on that day,” said Mahmudur.

Samrat, the former president of Jubo League’s Dhaka South unit, came under the scanner over his alleged ties to the illegal gambling business after the Rapid Action Battalion busted casino operations in numerous clubs in the capital in September.

He subsequently went into hiding before being arrested along with Arman by the RAB after a raid on a house near the Indian border in Cumilla on October 6.

The RAB later conducted a five-hour raid on Samrat’s office in Kakrail’s Bhuiyan Trade Centre with him in tow.

They subsequently seized a foreign pistol, 1,160 yaba tablets, 19 bottles of foreign liquor, two kangaroo hides and 'electrical torture equipment.'

A mobile court handed Samrat a six-month prison sentence for possession of the kangaroo skins under the Wild Animal Protection Act and he was later sent to the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.

Two cases were also initiated against him under the Narcotics Control Act and Arms Act with the Ramna Police Station.

Police have also pressed charges against Samrat over the possession of an illegal firearm.