Police Sub-Inspector Accused of Taking iPhone and Tk 17,000 from University Student

A police sub-inspector at Sreepur Police Station in Gazipur has been accused of taking an iPhone purchased by a university student after claiming it was stolen. The officer, Mehedi Hasan Titu, is also accused of taking Tk 17,000 from the student, allegedly citing phone-tracking expenses.

The student, Abul Hasnat Ayan, alleged that the officer visited his home in the Shafik Mor area of Mulaid village, Telihati Union, Sreepur, on Saturday evening, October 10, and took the phone. According to Ayan, the officer claimed that the device had been stolen in Chattogram.

Ayan is the son of Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Mulaid village, and a final-year Software Engineering student at Daffodil International University.

Ayan said he purchased a used iPhone 16 Pro Max for Tk 105,000 from a shop at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka on September 26. At around 5:30 pm on Saturday, the sub-inspector allegedly visited his home and claimed the phone was stolen. The officer had contacted Ayan the previous day to obtain further details, he said.

According to Ayan, the officer told him that a woman in Chattogram had been given sleeping medication and had her mobile phone, cash and gold jewellery stolen. Ayan said he showed the officer the phone’s purchase receipt and box. He also called the shop in the officer’s presence to confirm the purchase.

Despite this, Ayan alleged, the officer told him that because the phone had been found in his possession, he would have to deal with the problem. Ayan’s uncle, who was present, suggested that police should investigate the shop that sold the device. Ayan maintained that he had purchased the phone legally and possessed the necessary documents.

Allegation of Tk 17,000 Payment for Tracking

Ayan further alleged that the officer threatened to take him and the phone to the police station. The officer then allegedly took Tk 17,000, citing the cost of tracking the phone’s location.

Ayan said he had bought the device with money from his father and had all the purchase documents. He added that CCTV footage from the shop could help establish that he had bought the phone.

He also said he had asked the officer to record the entire process of taking the device. According to Ayan, the officer recorded a video on his own phone but did not provide him with a copy.

Ayan said he had suffered financial losses despite buying the phone legally and was concerned about whether police would take steps to recover the money and compensate him for the loss.

Officer’s Account and Police Response

Responding to the allegations, Sub-Inspector Mehedi Hasan Titu said that on September 17, a woman in Chattogram had allegedly been given an intoxicating substance by people she knew, leaving her asleep. Cash, gold jewellery and an iPhone were subsequently taken from her home, he said.

According to Titu, the woman filed a criminal case, which was later transferred to the Gazipur District Detective Branch (DB). He said the DB assigned him to recover the phone and that he had taken it in accordance with those instructions.

The officer acknowledged that a university student had purchased the phone from a shop. When asked how the student’s financial losses would be addressed, Titu referred to a local journalist whom he said knew him well and cared for him. He also identified himself as the nephew of a senior ruling-party leader at the district level. When questioned about the alleged Tk 17,000 payment, he suggested meeting over tea.

Sreepur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahinur Alam said he would look into the matter. He added that a sub-inspector could not take money in such a manner.

Gazipur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin also questioned why a sub-inspector would take Tk 17,000, saying that money could not be collected on the pretext of phone-tracking expenses.