The Rab yesterday picked up three journalists of online news portal banglamail24.com from its office in the city's Nayapaltan for allegedly running a false report on prime minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. 

A team of Rapid Action Battalion-3 went to the office around 8:00pm on Sunday and arrested the trio around 3:00am yesterday, said colleagues of the arrestees and Rab officials. 

The journalists are Editor Shadat Ullah Khan, Executive Editor Maksudul Haider Chowdhury and Newsroom Editor Pranto Polash. 

Abdul Karim, operation officer of Rab-3, said the Rab team went to the portal's office on Sunday night to quiz journalists about the report. As it was very late in the night, the three were taken to Rab office early yesterday. 

“We interrogated them about how they got the news and why they ran it…. We are trying to know their motive,” Karim told The Daily Star.

The Rab last night filed a case under the ICT Act with Paltan Police Station and handed over the three to police. 

Meanwhile, the government yesterday cancelled all the temporary and permanent accreditation cards issued for banglamail24.com, reports UNB.

“The government has scrapped the accreditation cards of banglamail24.com's nine journalists, including its editor,” said a PID handout.

The release, however, did not mention the reason for cancellation of the cards.