Police have detained two individuals, in Jamalpur, over suspicions they were involved in helping a woman stage her own "rape" in order to frame her cousin and take his property.
The detainees are Muhuri, an assistant of a lawyer in Jamalpur court, and Fazal, the alleged "rapist," Superintendent of Jamalpur police, Delwar Hossain, said at a press conference held at his headquarters, on Friday morning.
Delwar said Muhuri promised Gulenur Begum—from Beltail village under Melandah upazila—that he would help her to file a rape case against her cousin Nurnnabi, and help her acquire Nurunnabi's property.
Gulenor gave Muhuri a sum of Tk22,000 to carry out the plan.
According to their plan, Muhuri, Gulenur, and Fazal went to a paddy field behind Beltail Dakhil madrasa on the night of May 25, and, in the presence of Muhuri, Fazal "raped" her.
They left her at a house in a nearby village, and came back the next day, "rescued," her and admitted her to Jamalpur General Hospital.
Gulenor took the help of a local leader and lodged a rape case against her cousin Nurunnabi and her brother-in-law Sairul Islam.
Later, after suspecting that the case might be false, police interrogated Gulenor, and she gave her statement to the court, admitting her involvement, under Section 22 of the Prevention of Repression of Women and Children.
Police arrested Muhuri and Fazal based upon her statement. The incident has sparked controversy across the district.