10 fraudsters arrested for issuing fake driving licences

Detectives have arrested 10 members of a fraud gang who were involved in issuing fake driving licences to people in collaboration with some dishonest officials of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

The arrestees are Md Liton Pike, Sujan Pike, Md Hasan Sheikh alias Akchan, Mohammad Ali alias Mister, Md Abdul Khalek, Md Abdullah Rony, Md Sohel Rana, Md Sohag, Md Nur Nabi and Md Humayun Kabir, said AKM Hafiz Akhter, additional commissioner of police at Detective Branch (DB) during a press briefing at DMP Media Centre today.

The arrestees used to introduce themselves as BRTA officials and provided customers with driving licences using fake police verification reports with a forged seal, said the official.

Detectives from the Lalbagh Division of DB conducted several drives at Mirpur Mazar Road in Darussalam and Diabari area in Uttara on February 14 and arrested the fraudsters, he said.

A huge stash of driving licence applications, application form for apprentice driving licence, dope test files, two monitors, two CPUs, two keyboards, a colour printer, a laminating machine, two VGA cables, two power cords, six stamps, 4 Nokia keypad mobiles, and 14 other mobile phone sets of different models were seized from their possession, the official said.

Detectives have been investigating the array of road accidents that took place in recent times due to the inefficiency of drivers operating with fake licences.

During the investigation, the detectives found out about the gang operating as fake BRTA officials while also colluding with some dishonest BRTA staff and their associates.

The arrestees revealed during primary interrogation that the application forms were taken out of the BRTA office with the help of some dishonest BRTA officials and their other associates.

A case has been filed against the arrestees at Darussalam Police Station, added the official.