Regent Hospital owner Shahed, 2 others sued for possessing illegal firearms

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has filed a case against Regent Hospital Chairman Mohammad Shahed alias Shahed Karim and three others at Debhata police station in Satkhira for illegal possession of firearms.

Following Shahed’s arrest from the border area of Debhata early Wednesday, RAB-6, CPC-1 Deputy Additional Director (DAD) Nazrul Islam lodged the case under Section 19A of the Arms Act of 1878 and Section 25B/A of the Special Powers Act 1974 the following night.

The case was filed against the main accused Shahed Karim, a fugitive and an unknown person.

Debhata police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Biplob Kumar Saha confimed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.

It is to be noted that law enforcement has already found 59 cases against Shahed in various cases including fraud, the latest being his alleged involvement in providing fake Covid-19 certificates and embezzling money from patients through Regent Hospital. 

The Regent Hospital owner was absconding since RAB raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of the hospital. He has been wandering around under the nose of police since then. 

Finally, RAB was able to arrest Shahed in Debhata on Wednesday when he was attempting to flee to India in disguise wearing a burqa.

On July 6, RAB raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital on complaints that the hospital was issuing fake Covid-19 certificates, as well as charging exorbitant fees for Covid-19 testing and treatment of patients. RAB also found evidence of at least 6,000 fake Covid-19 test certificates during the raid.

The next day, RAB filed a case against 17 people, including Shahed, with Uttara West police station. Later, 10 other people were arrested in the incident.

On July 11, RAB seized the passport and the computer of Shahed, also the chairman of Regent Group, after conducting a drive at the hospital's Uttara branch. The passport and the computer were found at the hospital's kitchen.