The arrestees are -- Ashraful Islam, officer-in-charge (OC), and sub-inspectors (SIs) Enamul Haq and Miraj Al Mahmud of the police station and Mostafizur Rahman and Zakir Hossain, officials of Abul Khair Group, a food importer.

The joint forces comprising army and the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members also recovered Tk 15 lakh in cash in a briefcase from the house of SI Miraj.

The district administration on Monday night seized the sacks full of low quality wheat worth around Tk 19 crore from five cargo vessels and from a warehouse at Aliganj. Abul Khair Group imported the wheat.

Later while filing case, the accused police officers demanded Tk 30 lakh from Abul Khair Group to drop the name of its managing director Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, the joint forces sources said adding that finally the amount was fixed at Tk 22 lakh through bargaining.

Being tipped off by the military intelligence, the joint forces took position on Tuesday noon around the Fatulla Police Station.

The two officials of the Abul Khair Group were held by the joint forces when they came out of the police station after handing over the bribe. The officials confessed to have bribing the police "as per the discussion between their managing director and the OC."

The joint forces then arrested SIs Miraj and Enam at the police station and recovered the money from Miraj's house following his confession. OC Ashraf was then arrested at his quarters on the police station premises.

The joint forces also cordoned off the police station till midnight and did not allow anybody, except the journalists, to enter.

Magistrate Manzarul Mannan, who seized the rotten wheat, said that the Abul Khair Group mixes the rotten wheat with fresh wheat at the warehouse by the Buriganga river.

The police also detained 12 people including labourers of the vessels engaged in unloading the cargo.

Meanwhile, an official of Rab-11 filed a case accusing the three police officials and 2 officials of Abul Khayer Group with Fatullah Police Station of exchanging bribes.

Immediately after that, the joint forces handed over the accused to the Police station. The journalists however were not allowed to enter the police station while handing over the accused.

The rented house of SI Siraj was encircled while handing over the accused to the police station in the presence of additional police superintendent Masud Karim.

The arrestees might be presented to the court today (Thursday), sources said.