A Dhaka court on Wednesday granted the police four days to interrogate JKG Health Care CEO Ariful Chowdhury and one of his associates, Sayeed Chowdhury, in a case filed over a Covid-19 test scam.
Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Sufiyan Md Noman passed the order after Md Liakot Ali, an inspector of police’s Detective Branch (DB) and also the case investigation officer, produced them in court with a seven-day remand prayer.
In the plea, Liakot said they wanted to interrogate the two accused further as they were directly involved in issuing fake Covid-19 certificates.
Defence counsel Abdur Rahman pleaded with the court to quash the remand plea and sought bail for the clients. But the court rejected both petitions.
Police have so far arrested nine people in connection with the scam.
Ariful’s wife and JKG Health Care Chairman Dr Sabrina Arif Chowdhury was also arrested on Sunday for her suspected involvement in the recently exposed Covid-19 test scam.
The next day, she was put on three-day remand. Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s DB is investigating the allegations against her.
On June 24, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) had cancelled all approvals given to JKG Health Care for collection and testing of Covid-19 samples.
The cancellation order was issued a day after police arrested three JKG Health Care officials, including Ariful, and two others for their suspected involvement in giving fake Covid-19 test reports to people who had given samples at the health facility.
Dr Sabrina's name came into discussion when it emerged that she is the organization’s chairman. She has, however, denied holding the position, claiming she only provided consultancy.
Tejgaon police station OC Md Salauddin Mia on Monday told Dhaka Tribune that four cases were filed with them against JKG Health Care.
He said the first case was filed over Covid-19 certificate forgery and the second over vandalism in the police station committed by associates of Ariful, in which 18 people were arrested.
The other two cases were filed over fraud charges, said OC Salauddin.