Police have arrested ‘July fighter’ Tahrima Jannat Surabhi on charges of frivolous cases and fraud. She was arrested late Wednesday night from her residence in Tongi, Gazipur.
Tahrima Jannat Surabhi is a student of Bhawal Badre Alam Government College in Gazipur. She became a familiar face through viral videos on social media, controversial activities and live broadcasts.
Police said that recently an organised fraud ring extorted about Tk25 million from a businessman in Gulshan by threatening him with July movement-related cases. Investigation has revealed that the ring was led by Tahrima Jannat Surabhi, who gained notoriety through viral exposure on social media.
According to the allegations, during the July–August movement last year, money was taken from the businessman in phases by threatening to implicate him in several murder cases that occurred in the Gulshan and Badda areas. Large sums of money were demanded by showing the risk of being made an accused, police harassment and arrest, and later by offering to “settle” the cases.
Preliminary investigation has also found allegations that the ring extorted a total of around Tk500 million from various victims through blackmail and extortion.
Police said there was an arrest warrant against Surabhi in a case filed with Kaliakair Police Station. The complainant in that case is a young man named Naimur Rahman Durjoy.
The allegations against Surabhi include serious crimes such as extortion, abducting people to extract money and blackmailing. Police also claimed that she regularly made obscene comments about the army chief on social media.
