Mystery as well as contradictions shrouded over the arrest of an Indian national for his alleged links with gambling centring the ICC World T20 cricket tournament in Dhaka.
RAB personnel claims that they arrested Atanu Datta on Sunday afternoon in the capital’s Gabtoli.
But the Immigration Police in Benapole disclosed his arrest on April 3 and it was published in local and international media on April 4 and 5. It said after the arrest, the detainee had been taken away by the RAB and other agencies for interrogation, according to BBC Bangla.
Wing Commander ATM Habibur Rahman, the director of RAB’s legal and media wing, said they had no idea about Atanu’s arrest by any other agency.
Meanwhile, the court of Dhaka’s Metropolitan Magistrate Mahabubur Rahman yesterday granted Atanu bail after Mirpur police produced him before the court seeking seven days’ remand.
“We arrested Indian national Atanu Datta at Gabtoli in Mirpur on Sunday afternoon,” Sub-Inspector Kazi Abul Hasan of RAB 1 said adding that he had filed a case with Mirpur police station under the Information and Communication Act.
He said Atanu had been taking part in gambling while staying inside the Mirpur stadium but left the venue sensing police surveillance. “We arrested him when he was trying to flee. He was staying at Grand Prince Hotel in Mirpur.”
Habibur said: “If the Indian national was arrested by any agency, then how could we get him?” In another reply, he said they could not inform media about the arrest due to work pressure although the elite force always informs media about all of its success.
The BBC Bangla Service on April 4 reported that Atanu Datta, son of Manindra Datta, from Dinesh Palli Municipal Park in 24 Pargana of West Bengal, was arrested by the Immigration Police at Benapole border on April 3.
Quoting Mohammad Moniruzzaman, OC of Benapole Immigration Police, the report said Atanu had entered into Bangladesh on March 15, but he did not return to India though his visa expired on March 31.
The OC on April 3 told media that they had instruction from the higher authorities so Atanu could not cross the border for his “suspicious activities.”