Diamond World owner placed on 4-day remand in July attempted murder case
Diamond World owner Dilip Kumar Agarwala was placed on four-day remand in a July Uprising attempted murder case over the alleged shooting of student Jabbar.
A Dhaka court today (21 October) placed Diamond World owner Dilip Kumar Agarwala on a four-day remand in a case filed over the alleged attempted murder of student A Jabbar during the July mass uprising.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque passed the order following a hearing this afternoon.
State prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon said Dilip was produced before the court after completing a one-day remand in a money laundering case filed with Gulshan Police Station under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
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Earlier, the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Md Sumon Mia of Uttara West Police Station, sought a 10-day remand and requested that Dilip be shown arrested in the attempted murder case.
According to the remand petition, Dilip, 57, is a member of the Awami League's central subcommittee on industry and commerce and a prospective parliamentary candidate for Chuadanga-1.
Investigators claimed they had found evidence suggesting that he was present at the scene and participated in the incident with other accused.
The petition said police custody was necessary to determine the full circumstances of the incident, identify and arrest other suspects, and recover the firearms allegedly used.
Defence lawyers opposed the remand plea, arguing that business rivals were trying to damage Dilip's diamond business and that no evidence had been presented proving his involvement in illegal activities.
They also said Dilip had heart problems and sought bail, adding that he had been arrested from a puja mandap. The defence further claimed that he was abroad when the incident occurred and described the case as an attempt to harass him.
They also said Dilip had remained in the country despite securing bail in several other cases and noted that the investigation had been ongoing for nearly a year.
Opposing the defence plea, state prosecutors alleged that Dilip was involved in gold smuggling and had helped finance the shooting of Jabbar in Uttara West.
They also accused him of providing funds to suppress the movement and support Sheikh Hasina's government.
After hearing both sides, the court granted a four-day remand.
Defence lawyers Anwarul Kabir Babul, Abdul Al Mansur Ripon and Sanaul Islam Tipu opposed the remand, while state prosecutors Harun-or-Rashid and Golam Mortuza Ibn Islam argued in favour of it.
Dilip's arrest and legal troubles
The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Dilip from a residence in Banani on 19 October.
The following day, a court granted him one day's remand in a money laundering case involving alleged gold smuggling worth Tk678.19 crore. After the remand ended today, he was produced before the court in connection with the attempted murder case.
According to the complaint, Jabbar was shot in front of BNS Centre on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway under Uttara West Police Station on 5 August 2024 during the anti-discrimination student movement.
He remained under treatment at a hospital until 26 September that year.
After his condition improved, Jabbar filed the case with Uttara West Police Station on 27 March 2025. The case names 50 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and lists another 100-150 unidentified accused.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had earlier arrested Dilip on 3 September 2024 over allegations of gold and diamond smuggling, fraud, forgery and money laundering following an operation at Diamond World's Gulshan office in Dhaka.
He was later shown arrested in a case over the killing of teenager Hridoy Ahmed in Badda during the July quota reform movement. Police questioned him on remand before he was granted bail by the court.
