On Monday, at a press briefing at the Gazipur Metropolitan Police headquarters, Police Commissioner Md. Israel Hawlader provided this information.

He said that on September 27 last, while the accused were being taken from the Dhaka District Judge's Court to Kashimpur Jail, the prison van was stopped in the Tantibazar area. There, SI Pravir Kumar, in-charge of the escort party, took the van keys and brought Picchi Raja and under-trial prisoner Khairul Bashar out and to the front of the van. After that, Picchi Raja and SI Pravir did not get back into the van. Picchi Raja fled from there in a waiting private car.

The police commissioner claimed that later, around 8:30 pm, SI Pravir went to the Baimail area of Gazipur and got into the prison van, and a staged situation was created—as if Picchi Raja had escaped there. In this incident, five police members were earlier temporarily suspended on charges of negligence of duty.

Based on evidence and exhibits found in the investigation, Picchi Raja's sister Taslima, SI Pravir Kumar and Nayek Kamal Hossain were arrested. The police commissioner also said that 60,000 taka was recovered from Kamal's house.

Police said operations are continuing to arrest Picchi Raja and others involved in the incident.