A policeman was held allegedly for attempting to snatch Tk 10.5 lakh from a businessman in Dhaka’s Motijheel area yesterday.

The detainee is Al Mamun, 38, constable of Bangshal Police Station.

Abul Kalam, a trader of electrical goods in Old Dhaka, went to a private bank in Motijheel, withdrew money and headed towards another bank to deposit the money when Mamun and his cohort Jitu stopped him, said Omar Faruque, officer-in-charge of Motijheel Police Station.

Mamun introduced him as a cop and asked Kalam to get on a motorbike with him and Jitu. Mamun said he had information that Kalam was carrying illicit money and that he needed to go to police station for investigation, OC Omar added.

On the way, Kalam suspected Mamun and Jitu to be fake cops and tried to pull the bike’s brake. Mamun then hit Kalam’s head with his handcuff. At this point, Kalam started screaming saying he was being robbed. Locals then held Mamun and handed him over to police. Jitu managed to flee, OC Omar further said.

Kalam was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Shaheen Fakir, officer-in-charge of Bangshal Police Station, said Mamun was a constable-cum-driver at the police station.

Mamun was not on duty when the incident happened and Bangshal police would not take responsibilities for his actions, he said.

No case was filed in this connection as of 9:30pm.