Diamond World managing director placed on 3-day remand

A Dhaka court today placed Diamond World Managing Director Dilip Kumar Agarwala on a three-day remand in a case filed over the death of 16-year-old Hridoy Ahmed during the quota reform movement in front of BRAC University on July 19.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan passed the order after Md Sadek, a sub-inspector of Badda Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, produced him before the court with a seven-day remand prayer.
In the remand prayer, the IO said Dilip needs to be remanded to find out vital clues about the whereabouts of others responsible for committing such offences.
The defence submitted an application seeking bail along with cancellation of the remand prayer on grounds that their client has been suffering from different ailments, including heart disease. Moreover, they said, their client was not involved with the death of the teenager.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) yesterday arrested Dilip from Akash Tower in Dhaka’s Gulshan area in connection with the killing of Hridoy Ahmed.
According to the case statement, it was alleged Hridoy was shot dead during quota reform movement in front of BRAC University around 2:00pm on July 19.
Following the incident, a case was filed on August 22 against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Dilip Kumar Agarwala and 159 others at the Badda Police Station.
Yesterday, an official of the media wing of the Criminal Investigation Department said it had launched an investigation into allegations against Dilip of laundering money and smuggling gold and diamonds.
The official said that the Financial Crime Unit of the department was tasked with conducting the investigation against Diamond World and its persons of interest.
According to the CID sources, there were allegations against Agarwala of committing fraud by selling high quality glass as diamonds through his showrooms in various districts. He also allegedly controls a Dubai-Singapore gold smuggling syndicate.
Besides, the CID is also looking into allegations against him regarding owning three jewellery shops and 11 houses in Kolkata, as well as amassing wealth illegally in Malaysia, Dubai and Canada.
Agarwala is a former president of Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS), and former director and vice president of FBCCI. He is also Awami League’s central industry and commerce sub-committee member.