Film actor and Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) ward councillor Monwar Hossain Dipjol was sent to jail Wednesday, a day after the BNP leader was arrested.

SEE PAGE 2 COL 5 FROM PAGE 1

He has been convicted and sentenced to 45 years' imprisonment in four cases, two cases filed under Arms Act and one each filed by the AntiCorruption Commission and the National Board of Revenue.

Dipjol went into hiding after January 11, 2007, and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-4) arrested him Tuesday at a house in Adabar in the capital.

After his arrest, Rab personnel handed him over to Darussalam police who produced him before the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Moazzem Hossain. The magistrate, showing the accused arrested in six cases and convicted in four, ordered him to be sent to jail.

A few supporters of Dipjol chanted slogans demanding his release when he was being taken to court from the police station Wednesday.

Earlier, during a press briefing at the Rab-4 headquarters Major Mahmud Hossain said, "Apart from the cases, over 50 general diaries [GDs] had been filed against Dipjol."

He said, "Dipjol is facing numerous charges including terrorism, extortion, illegal grabbing of government land, tax-evasion, murder and illegal armspossession."

"Acting on a tip-off from intelligence department, we arrested him Tuesday and later raided different places following his information," Major Mahmud said.

"Our investigations are going on," the Rab-4 official said.

Rab-4 Assistant Director Captain Mohammad Moshiul Alam told reporters that Dipjol was arrested at flat D-4 of Ena Garden in Adabar, Mirpur.

Dipjol, who was produced before reporters during the press conference, said, I am innocent and false cases have been filed against me seizing my licensed arms." He claimed he was preparing to surrender before the court.

Asked if he had fled the country after January, 11, 2007, he said he was in Dhaka all thetime.

Major Mahmud, however, dismissed his claim and said, "He was not in the country. He is lying.’

Replying to a question. Dipjol said, "All the cases filed against me are false and 1 myself would go to Baitul Mukarram mosque and hang myself if those are proven true.”

His wife Romana Monwar has also been convicted in a number of cases but she is nowout on bail.

Police and local sources said while in hiding Dipjol had been carrying on extortion, terrorism and other criminal activities through his accomplices including Raihan and AbuTaher.

Local sources said Dipjol grabbed several hundred acres of land from the Department of Agricultural Extension near Gabtoli Bus Terminal and he had been running fish farms there for years.

He also grabbed land of Roads and Highways Department near Mirpur Dam and set up several slums. He collects money from the slum dwellers, sources said. They said he also collects toll from Gabtoli Bus Terminal and the cattle market there.

Another source said Dipjol purchased a large piece of land in Malaysia and has been trying to establish a dairy-farm.

According to locals, Dipjol owned huge areas of land and properties after his maternal grandfather died. He has no maternal uncle. The Parbat theatre in Gabtoli was the property of his grandfather.

He became involved with the business of cinema and film making and played several villain roles in films. He became involved in real life crimes too.