In a 20-hour-long interrogation in Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and police custody, Litu said his political godfathers and police beneficiaries used to give him shelter and save him by suppressing his crimes and forcing complainants to withdraw cases against him, the sources added.

The Rab and police have meanwhile started a joint drive to arrest Litu's cadres he mentioned in the quizzing hours to recover his arms collection. Apart from recently hanged criminal Ershad Shikder's arms left to him, Litu had over 40 firearms now belong to his cadres.

We are scrutinising all the information before swinging into action, said a senior official of Khulna Metropolitan Police. Our top priority is to recover his hidden arms and arrest their careers, he added.

The drive to track Litu's cadres and recover firearms has been extended up to the Sundarbans, a stronghold of Litu.