Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, Sept 4, 2026 (BSS) - A youth has been arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5 on charges of fraud and extortion by opening fake WhatsApp IDs using the names and photographs of senior police and army officers.

The arrested, Shariful Islam, 27, was detained from a rented house in the Raninagar Water Tank area of Rajshahi city on Thursday evening.

The information was disclosed in a press release issued by the media wing of RAB-5 this afternoon.

RAB said Shariful opened a fake WhatsApp ID in the name of Additional DIG Md Humayun Kabir and used it to threaten senior government officials, police and army officers, judges and lawyers for money.

He confessed to the offences during preliminary interrogation, RAB said.

Shariful had earlier faced several cases over similar fraud and resumed the activities after securing bail, it added.

A case has been filed against him with Boalia Police Station.