A case filed at Dhanmondi model police station alleges that Meghna Alam, Dewan Samir, and some unidentified individuals demanded $5 million (~Tk60 crore) from a diplomat.
The diplomat's name was not mentioned in the case statement.
According to police documents, on April 15, Inspector Mohammad Abdul Alim filed the case against Meghna, Samir, and two to three unknown persons on allegations of extortion and fraud.
On Thursday, a court granted a petition to show model Meghna Alam arrested in the case.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka gave this order. Chief Public Prosecutor (PP) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, Omar Faruk Faruki, confirmed the information to the daily Prothom Alo.
Last Friday, Samir, a businessman known to Meghna, was arrested in another extortion case filed at Bhatara Police Station. On Saturday, a court granted five days’ remand to interrogate him.
According to the Dhanmondi case, on March 29, a secret meeting was held at a restaurant in Dhanmondi. Meghna, Samir, and several others attended the meeting.
In this meeting, they reportedly decided to demand and collect $5 million from the diplomat. The purpose of the meeting was to extort money through blackmail.
On the night of April 9, Meghna was detained at her residence in Bashundhara, Dhaka, by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
As per an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the court ordered her detention for 30 days under the Special Powers Act on the night of April 10.
She is currently in jail. Her detention, without specific reasons disclosed, sparked much discussion and controversy.
On Sunday, Meghna’s father, Badrul Alam, filed a writ petition challenging the legality of her detention and arrest process.
After the primary hearing, the High Court issued a rule.
