Police have arrested Sohel Rana, alias "Beyadob Rana," a fugitive leader of the now-banned Chhatra League unit of Savar Sadar Union.

He was arrested on Thursday night from a rented house in Ashulia, Savar, in a special operation by Savar Model Police Station, said Sub-inspector Mahabur of the police station.

According to police, Sohel is a named accused in five murder cases filed by the families of those killed during the student-public movement. He is also accused in multiple rape cases, including incidents involving a teenage girl, a college student, and a domestic worker. Even during the previous government, he was arrested multiple times by RAB and the police and spent a long time in prison.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 last year, he posted on Facebook that he had fled to a neighbouring country. However, police claim he remained in hiding within Bangladesh, frequently posting anti-government statuses. His last status was an Eid greeting from Kolkata, though authorities insist he never left the country.

Originally from Sirajganj, Sohel Rana used political influence to build two houses—one in Chapain, Savar Sadar Union, and another in Faringa village, Roail Union, Dhamrai. His father, Mohammad Ali, also known as Ahmad Ali, was a close associate of Manjurul Alam Rajib, General Secretary of Savar Upazila Awami League and former Upazila Chairman.

SI Mahabur, also the investigating officer of the case, said Sohel was sent to court with a request for a seven-day remand. His remand hearing is scheduled for April 11.