DSA, fraud cases filed against Islamic orator Mufti Kazi Ibrahim

Two cases have been filed against controversial Islamic orator Mufti Kazi Ibrahim -- one under the Digital Security Act and another for fraud.

A person named ZM Rana filed the fraudulence case with Mohammadpur Police on Tuesday night while a Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB) officer filed the DSA case on Wednesday, confirmed Mohammadpur Police OC Md Abdul Latif.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court has granted the police two days to question Kazi Ibrahim in custody, according to court officials.

On Wednesday, the investigating officer in the case, DB Sub-Inspector Md Hasanuzzaman produced the Islamic orator before a court with a 10-day remand plea.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sufian Md Noman granted two days against the plea, scrapping a bail plea filed by Ibrahim’s counsels.

Ibrahim, who was picked up by DB for interrogation on Tuesday, is well-known for his controversial speeches in waz mahfils and social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

DB Cyber Special and Serious Crime unit Deputy Commissioner Shariful Islam said that the police have sought the court’s permission to interrogate Ibrahim in custody for 10 days, reports Bangla Tribune.

On Tuesday, detective branch members detained the Islamic orator from his Mohammadpur residence for interrogation.

After his arrest, a group of people, under the banner "Sorbostorer Touhidi Janata", formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding his release.

Controversies

Ibrahim first gained notoriety due to his remarks on Antarctica, claiming it to be a continent hidden by global superpowers. He also once said that men were developing feminine voices, while women were growing beards as side-effects of taking Covid-19 vaccine.

Also Read- Islamic orator Mufti Kazi Ibrahim detained for interrogation

Before being detained on Tuesday, Ibrahim in Facebook Live said some plainclothesmen were knocking at his door to take him away.

Earlier, the government shut down Peace International School at Lalmatia for its involvement in “controversial activities" in 2016.

This English-medium school was founded by Abdullah Zaman, its managing director, and Mufti Kazi Md Ibrahim, its principal, in October, 2011.

In the beginning, the PIS had two campuses – at Lalmatia and Uttara. Later, the Uttara campus was bought by another person and it was renamed as Leader’s School.

After the PIS, more people later established schools in Dhaka and elsewhere bearing the title “Peace” which include Invite Peace School and College, Peace Islamic School, Peace School and Peace School and College. The school authorities used the word “peace” and the logo of Peace TV for larger publicity.

Mufti Ibrahim was believed to be one of the key players behind the establishment of these schools across the country.

According to intelligence sources, these schools used to preach radical views of Islam and engage the students in different activities of Peace TV, run by India-based televangelist Zakir Naik. Mufti Ibrahim was an anchor of Peace TV.

Previously, his name also came after the murder of popular Islamic preacher Maulana Shaikh Nurul Islam Faruqi in 2014.

In a case filed over the murder against six presenters of religious programs in different private television channels, the plaintiff alleged that Peace TV anchor Kazi Ibrahim had threatened to kill Faruqi in Trishal of Mymensingh in 2012.