Police today claimed to have arrested five people who embezzled a hefty amount of money by luring people of providing illegal gas connections, posing as Titas Gas officers.

A team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police arrested them from Jatrabari and Motijheel area on Saturday.

The arrestees are -- Shahadat Khan, 45, Aftai Uddin Rahat, 24, Zahidur Rahman alias Jabed, 43, Jahangir Alam, 50, and Farid Hossain alias Aslam, 40.

“The arrestees and their accomplices embezzled a total of Tk 49.50 lakh from a restaurant owner in Bangshal, impersonating them as Titas Gas officers and contractors, from October 9 to October 31 last year,” said Kaniz Fatema, special superintendent of CID (Dhaka Metro - East).

Police recovered Tk 1.20 lakh from Shahadat which they got by giving illegal gas connections, said Sub-Inspector Aksadud Zaman, the investigation officer of the case.

“They have no relations with Titas Gas. They were just bluffing people with illegal gas connections in residential and commercial units in different parts of the capital,” the SI said adding that there are few more people involved with the fraudulent gang.

The CID was investigating the case filed by Al Masud, 36, owner of Café Al Masud, with Jatrabari Police Station on December 30 last year.