Detective Branch (DB) police on Wednesday arrested alleged top criminal Mobarak Hossain Emon, also known as David Emon, in Jessore.
Jessore Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Mirajul Islam confirmed the arrest to Dhaka Tribune at around 2pm.
"DB police arrested David Emon from a vehicle in the Jhumjhumpur area on the Jessore-Narail Highway. He is now in the custody of Jessore police. Details will be provided later," he said.
According to police, Emon and Mohammad Raihan allegedly took over leadership of a criminal syndicate in Chittagong after the arrest of Chhoto Sajjad, an alleged associate of fugitive criminal Sajjad Ali Khan. Investigators alleged that Chhoto Sajjad had previously carried out criminal activities on behalf of Boro Sajjad.
Police said followers of Sajjad Ali Khan have been behind most recent extortion demands and attacks in Chittagong city and the upazilas of Raozan, Hathazari and Fatikchhari. Law enforcement agencies had been searching for both Emon and Raihan before Wednesday's arrest.
One of the cases linked to Emon is an alleged extortion attempt targeting Digital Dot Net (DDN), a Chittagong-based business.
According to police, DDN owner Adil Bin Mamun received a call from a foreign number on July 11 from a person identifying himself as David Emon, who allegedly demanded Tk20 million in extortion and threatened further attacks if the money was not paid.
Police said that two days later, at around 12:30pm on July 13, about 30 to 35 armed men attacked the DDN office on the Chandanpura-Bakalia Access Road under Chawkbazar Police Station.
The assailants allegedly vandalized the office, looted Tk3.5 million kept there for salary payments and warned the company against continuing its operations. CCTV footage of the attack later circulated on social media.
Police said the attacked office is adjacent to the residence of Smart Group Director Mujibur Rahman, where gunfire was reported on February 28 while the house was under police protection. Investigators alleged that followers of fugitive criminal Sajjad Ali Khan carried out the attack after failing to extort money from the businessman.
The same residence also came under gunfire on January 2, when bullets struck its windows and doors. Police protection remained in place following the incident.
Earlier, Chittagong police arrested two alleged associates of Emon from the Wazedia area on the Oxygen-Kuaish Road, recovering a foreign-made pistol and four rounds of ammunition.
The suspects, identified as Md Asif, 25, and Saidul Islam, alias Arif, 24, were arrested on Sunday night. Police said Asif was a fugitive accused in a criminal case.