A police sub-inspector in Sreepur has been accused of seizing a pre-owned iPhone 16 Pro Max from a university student and taking Tk17,000 from him under the pretext of mobile phone tracking costs.
The victim, Abul Hasnat Ayan, is a resident of Mulaid village under Sreepur upazila and a final-year student in the Software Engineering department at Daffodil International University.
Ayan bought the used iPhone 16 Pro Max on 26 September for Tk105,000 in cash from a shop named Apple Hot in Dhaka’s Jamuna Future Park and holds the original purchase receipt and box.
According to Ayan, Sreepur Police Station sub-inspector Mehedi Hasan Titu called him on 9 October to collect detailed information. On Saturday, 10 October, at around 5:30pm, the police officer arrived at his home and claimed that the mobile phone was stolen.
Although Ayan produced the purchase receipt and box and attempted to verify the transaction by calling the shop, the sub-inspector claimed the device was linked to a theft incident in Chattogram where a woman was drugged and her mobile phone, cash, and gold jewellery were stolen.
Ayan said his maternal uncle, who was present at the home, requested the officer to conduct a raid on the shop where the phone was purchased. However, the police officer threatened to detain Ayan along with the phone and collected Tk17,000 from him, claiming it was for tracking expenses.
Ayan requested the officer to record a video of the entire procedure; the officer recorded a video on his own mobile phone but refused to provide a copy to Ayan.
Ayan added that verifying the receipt, box, and CCTV footage from the shop would confirm his purchase, noting that the seizure of the phone and the payment of Tk 17,000 caused him severe financial loss.
When contacted by TIMES, Md Rakib Miah, owner of Apple Hot at Jamuna Future Park, said the phone was imported from abroad, was previously used, and was sold legally to Ayan with all necessary documentation.
Regarding the background of the case, Sub-Inspector Titu said a woman in Chattogram filed a CR case after acquaintances drugged her on 17 September and stole cash, gold jewellery, and an iPhone.
The case was transferred to the Gazipur District Detective Branch (DB) police, and he was assigned to recover the mobile phone. However, when questioned about taking Tk17,000 from the student, the sub-inspector avoided giving a direct answer. Instead, he mentioned a local journalist in Sreepur – referring to him as a nephew of a top district-level leader of the ruling party who knew him well – and invited the reporter for tea.
Mohammad Jashim Uddin, superintendent of police in Gazipur, said he had been informed of the matter and promised that necessary action would be taken following an inquiry. He also noted that collecting money under the guise of mobile tracking expenses is impermissible and incorrect.
