6 arrested for deceiving doctor by paying with fake cash wrapped in a towel

The group has been carrying out such acts of deception for a long time, police say

Police have arrested a group of six men on charges of fraud after they paid a doctor with papers wrapped in a towel instead of Saudi Riyal as agreed upon and later fled with Tk 900,000.

After arresting them on Thursday, police said the gang has been carrying out such frauds in the name of selling foreign currencies for a long time.

Mahbubul Alam fell, the doctor who fell for their trick, was the latest in a long line of preys and lost Tk 900,000, said Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Shahidullah.

"While the doctor was walking along Kemal Ataturk Avenue, an unknown person asked him where to exchange Saudi Riyal. The doctor showed him a nearby money exchange outlet and was requested to come along, and he complied," he said.

After changing 100 Saudi Riyals to taka, the person told Mahbubul that he had another 900,000 Saudi Riyal and offered to give it to the doctor for only Tk 900,000.

Such a profitable rate immediately grabbed Mahbubul’s interest as his sister was scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. The person then passed his mobile phone number to him, along with his name -- ‘Siraj’.

On Mar 1, Mahbubul received a call from Siraj who instructed him to go to ABC Tower at Kemal Ataturk Avenue with the money.

Siraj, who was accompanied by two others at the location, handed Mahbubul a bag there saying it contained 900,000 Saudi Riyal. Trusting the stranger, Mahbubul handed over Tk 900,000 and returned home in good faith.

When he opened the bag, Mahbubur realised that he was fooled.

Mahbubul then filed a complaint with the Banani police, who then arrested a 35-year-old man, identified by a single name -- Liaqat, in Gopalganj on May 21.

Through information provided by Liaqat, police arrested Miraz Talukdar, 50, Ahad Sheikh, 58, Haider Mridha, 57, Mafizul Mia, 35 and Imarat Molla, 61 in Dhaka.

The arrestees confessed to their crimes, the deputy commissioner said. Police are taking legal steps against the arrestees.