Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has asked the law enforcement agencies to take strict action against those who extort money in his name.

He said this  while talking to reporters on the sideline of a conference of Lions Clubs International in Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Friday.

He said, “Whoever commits a crime should be punished. The man who went to extort money using my name has been arrested and a weapon has also been seized from him.”

The home minister further said that the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) took immediate action after detecting they were using my name.

The law enforcement agencies will take strict action against anyone using others’ names for extortion, he added.

 Rab arrested two leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from Sabujbagh area in the city on Thursday.

The arrestees were identified as Dhaka South City BCL vice president Delwar Hossain Sayedee, 24, and BCL Dhaka South city unit general Secretary Jubayer Ahmed, 29.

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The elite force also recovered one foreign made pistol, one magazine, two round bullets and 578 pieces Yaba tablets from his possessions, said Additional SP Bina Rani Das of the Rab-3 battalion headquarters.

Delwar was arrested on charge of his involvedment in collecting extortion in the name of Home Minister, she said at a media release issued on Thursday evening.

Later, in an attempt to snatch BCL leader Delwar from the Rab, Dhaka South City BCL leader Jubayer was also arrested.

The Rab filed a case with Sabujbagh police station in connection with the incident. Jubayer and Delwar are in police custody at Sabujbagh police station. They will be produced in court on Friday.

During primary interrogation, Delwar admitted that he used to extort money using the name of the home minister. He also used to use his associates to spread terrorism to dominate the area showing firearms.

When the Rab's operational team took to the streets with the arrested Delwar at the end of the operation, about 200 people led by BCL leader Jubayer tried to snatch the arrested Delwar. They carried out an armed attack on the Rab. The Rab members then arrested Md. Jubayer Ahmed from North Mothertech area of Sabujbagh and dispersed the illegal mob in self-defense and for carrying out government duties. Two Rab members were injured in the attack.

The injured Rab members were given first aid at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.