4 cops arrested over selling citizens’ private data

Four police personnel have been arrested for allegedly selling citizens’ personal and confidential information, including National Identity Card (NID) and passport details.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner (Detective) Md Shafiqul Islam confirmed the matter on Wednesday.

He said the four police members were arrested several days ago on allegations of selling citizens’ confidential information, including NID details, mobile SIM locations, call detail records (CDRs), SMS and passport information.

After being interrogated on remand, they were sent to jail, he added.

The arrested police personnel are Nizam Uddin, a constable at Wari Police Station; Simon Hossain Rashed and Masum Mia, constables at Demra Police Station; and Md Jihad Mia, a constable at Turag Police Station.

On September 29, DB Sub-Inspector Abidur Rahman filed a case against the four at Ramna Police Station under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001, and several sections of the Penal Code.

The DB Cyber and Special Crime North Division is investigating the case.

According to sources familiar with the case, the FIR accuses the four police members of illegally obtaining mobile phone CDRs through fraudulent means and selling them on social media despite being government employees.

They were also accused of criminal breach of trust, transferring important state information to others, and collecting and sharing citizens’ call lists, last-call locations, NID details and other information, including SIM and mobile phone numbers, through social media.