Kolkata cops to quiz Bangladeshi don till Dec 10

Bangladeshi crime lord Subrata Bayen, a prime accused in the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack targeting Sheikh Hasina, was remanded in police custody till Dec 10 by a city court Wednesday, a day after his arrest here.

"Bayen was presented before the court and he has been remanded inpolice custody till Dec 10," said a government counsel.

Bayen, against whom a red corner notice had been issued by the Interpol, was arrested Tuesday by the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police.

Fake Indian currency notes with denomination over Rs.11 lakh, some Nepali currency and a firearm were recovered from him, police said.

Bayen, a resident of Bangladesh who is on the most wanted list of criminals in that country, was earlier serving a prison term in the Eastern Regional Prison in Nepal. He along with 12 other inmates escaped from the jail Nov 8 by digging a tunnel.

According to police, Bayen was involved in the Dhaka grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina and had been constantly in touch with criminals from countries like the UAE, Singapore and China.

The Aug 21, 2004, Dhaka grenade attack was an attempt to kill Sheikh Hasina, now thw Bangladesh prime minister who was then the opposition leader. The attack left at least 23 dead and many injured, including Hasina.

Bayen was earlier arrested in 2008 by the STF. But he was later granted bail.