Police have filed the indictment in the fraud case against e-commerce platform Evaly, accusing the company’s top officials but dropping the names of the top celebrities involved.
A scammed customer filed the case with Dhanmondi Police Station on December 4 last year, accusing six senior Evaly officials and prominent actors Tahsan Khan, Rafiath Rashid Mithila and Sabnam Faria.
On December 10, Sajjadur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the Ramna Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police told the media: “Tahsan, Mithila and Sabnam Faria could be arrested at any time for their involvement in Evaly.”
But Dhanmondi police deleted the names of the actors and two Evaly officers from the indictment, finding no basis for the allegations against them.
When asked why he said the top celebrities could be arrested, Sajjadur Rahman told The Business Standard: “If you need the answer, you can come to my office and I will give you the answer face to face .”
In the indictment, the police filed charges against Evaly Managing Director Mohammad Rassel, Chairman Shamima Nasrin, Vice President Abdullah Al Mamun and Category Head Mohammad Abu Taher.
Md Rajib Hassan, a sub-inspector at Dhanmondi Police Station and investigating officer in the case, submitted the indictment to Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on 27 February. The indictment will be presented to the court on March 27 for the next proceeding.
The names of Evaly’s Chief Marketing Officer SM Arif Reza Hussain and Executive Operation Officer Abu Kayes were also removed from the indictment.
Tahsan was the Goodwill Ambassador for Evaly, Mithila, Brand Ambassador, and Sabnam Faria was Chief Public Relations Officer. All were granted bail by the Supreme Court and the CMM Court at different times.
Among the defendants in the indictment, Rassel and his wife Shamima were arrested in the case and are now in prison. Mamun and Saddam were portrayed in the indictment as fugitives.
Rapid Deployment Battalion (Rab) arrested Rattle and Shamima on 09/16 out of town.
On December 4 last year, Evaly client Saad Sam Rahman filed the case. According to the complaint, Sam ordered a motorcycle worth Tk 318,000 but did not receive the product or a timely refund from the company. From his point of view, he was fooled by the celebrities.
Plaintiff in the case, Saad Sam Rahman, told TBS: “Everyone knows how the celebrities promoted controversial Evaly deals and thousands of people were duped just for their promotional role. People believed in her. Now the police have removed their names from the indictment sheet. That’s absurd.”
The plaintiff also said he would take further steps after consulting his attorney.
Actor Shabnam Faria told TBS: “The law will take its own course. I have no further comment on this subject.”
She did not respond to the question of whether or not she was liable to customers.
Copyright attorney Barrister Tanjib Ul Alam told TBS: “It is reasonable to exclude her from the indictment under the laws of the country. However, if someone feels deceived about their participation in the campaign, the moral question against them remains.”
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