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The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) is investigating a claim by Ahmed Shahriar Reza Dwip, a close friend of former Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) flight lieutenant KM Tahsif Sauri, that two men dressed in police uniforms chased them near the Turag River shortly before Tahsif went missing.

During questioning at the PBI’s Dhaka Metro North office early Friday, Dwip reportedly told investigators that he and Tahsif were talking in the Mazar Basti area beside the river when the two men chased them. Tahsif then jumped into the river, while Dwip fled the scene.

Mohammad Enayet Hossain Mannan, additional deputy inspector general of PBI Dhaka Metro North, disclosed the information on Friday. He said investigators were verifying whether the two men were police personnel and examining why they had approached Tahsif and Dwip.

According to Mannan, investigators visited the location with Dwip and were scrutinising his account. They were also trying to establish why the two men had gone to the area and whether Tahsif’s death was a case of murder, an accident or suicide.

Mannan said Dwip’s questioning had brought several significant details to light, but investigators were withholding some information to protect the integrity of the investigation.

However, Tahsif’s father, AKM Enayetul Karim, dismissed the claim that his son had jumped into the river while fleeing from the men.

Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon, he said, “Why would anyone chase Tahsif? These are baseless claims. My son knew how to swim. He was a pilot and had completed an extensive swimming course as part of his training. He also had a certificate. It seems someone is trying to divert attention from the actual circumstances of his death.”

Meanwhile, acting on information provided by Dwip, the PBI recovered a black Suzuki Gixxer 150 motorcycle. Investigators are examining its documents to determine whether it was connected to Tahsif’s death.

Mohammad Abu Yusuf, superintendent of police in the PBI’s Law and Media Wing, said the motorcycle was recovered from Mazar Basti, approximately 50 yards from where Tahsif’s body was found. The vehicle had no number plate.

CCTV footage also showed that Tahsif’s motorcycle was without a number plate, leading investigators to suspect that the recovered vehicle might have belonged to him.

PBI Inspector Syed Sajedur Rahman said Dwip had not been arrested and was not an accused in the case. Investigators were questioning him to establish why he and Tahsif had visited the area, whether they had met anyone there and where they had gone afterwards.

Rahman said Dwip had provided conflicting accounts of his movements with Tahsif. During questioning early Friday, Dwip reportedly told investigators that they had separated around midnight in the House Building area of Uttara and had not contacted each other afterwards.

However, speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Dwip had offered a different account. He said he and Tahsif had taken the motorcycle to a workshop for repairs before having dinner at a restaurant. He also claimed that he had dropped Tahsif off at his residence before returning home.

Dwip further said that after reaching home, he tried calling Tahsif but found his phone switched off.

According to Rahman, Dwip’s latest statement led investigators to the motorcycle. He added that investigators were still trying to determine why Dwip had left Tahsif and returned home alone after the two had travelled to the area together.

PBI teams took Dwip from the third floor of a house in B Block of Babar Road in Mohammadpur early Friday, SP Abu Yusuf said. Dwip is the son of Selim Reza, a local resident.

The PBI subsequently conducted overnight operations at several locations based on information obtained from Dwip.

As of 6:30pm Friday, Tahsif’s family had not filed a case. Additional Inspector General of Police Mohammad Rezaul Karim, chief of the River Police, said the family was still considering whether to lodge a complaint. If they decided against filing a case, police would initiate one themselves, he added.

Tahsif left his home in Sector 18 of Uttara with Dwip on Tuesday evening, telling his mother, “Dwip is coming. I will go and talk to him.”

He left home on his motorcycle at around 6:30pm and did not return.

CCTV footage showed Dwip arriving at the garage beneath Tahsif’s residence at 6:24pm. Tahsif came downstairs shortly afterwards, and the two left on separate motorcycles at 6:31pm.

Tahsif’s body was recovered from the Turag River near Rajabari Ghat at around 4:30pm on Wednesday. Members of the Tongi River Police outpost went to the location after receiving a report through the national emergency service 999 that a body was floating in the river.