Police have arrested and sent to jail Debu Prasad Roy, father of Dhaka film actress Puja Cherry, in a case filed over embezzling nearly Tk13 crore by posing as a film production businessman.
The arrest was made on April 16, said Rakibul Hasan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Cantonment Police Station under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
“Nearly Tk 12–13 core was embezzled, and he was arrested in connection with the case and produced before the court,” OC Rakibul said on Saturday when contacted following the emergence of the news.
Sub-Inspector Tarequzzaman of the prosecution police confirmed that Roy was sent to jail following a court order.
“After the arrest, Cantonment police produced him before the court on Thursday. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullah Piyash ordered that he be sent to jail,” he said.
According to police, the case was filed by Mizanur Rahman, who alleged that Roy took Tk55 lakh on September 15, 2019, claiming it was for a film production venture.
He later allegedly received an additional Tk 500,000 through Standard Bank under the same pretext, and Tk 60 lakh in cash on May 15, 2024, through the execution of three non-judicial stamps of Tk 100 each.
The complainant alleged that Tk 1.2 crore was transferred at different times to various mobile banking accounts.
He also claimed that another Tk 10,200 was sent via bKash on March 30 this year.
Mizanur Rahman said that despite the lapse of a significant period, none of the money has been returned.
OC Rakibul Hasan said, “The investigation is ongoing. We are verifying transaction statements.”