Regent Group chairman Md Shahed claimed that he is Covid-19 positive and has been unwell for the last one and a half months.

He also claimed to be innocent when he was produced today before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim, which was holding hearing on a remand prayer for him in a case filed over issuing fake Covid-19 test results and charging patients for the tests and treatment, violating an agreement with the government.

He further told the court that his hospitals were the first ones which started coronavirus testing.

Md Shahed said that he applied several times for renewing licence of his hospitals. But the government did not respond.

He broke down in tears while making the claims before the court.

Hearing from the defence and prosecution, Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim placed him on a 10-day remand later in the case.

Shahed, accused in over 56 cases, was arrested near the Labangabati river at Debhata upazila in Satkhira around 5:30am yesterday. Wearing a burqa, he was attempting to flee to India via a boat. Later, he was flown to Dhaka by a helicopter.