Singer Asif Akbar was arrested at the early hours of Wednesday in a case filed under Information Technology Act.

A team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police arrested him from his office adjacent to the Film Development Corporation (FDC).

Special Superintendent of police Molla Nazrul Islam confirmed the news to Bangla Tribune.

Asif was arrested in a case filed by Shafiq Tuhin, a popular singer and composer, with Tejgaon police station in the capital, he said.

He will be handed over to court on Wednesday.

It has been alleged in the case statement that through an investigative programme ‘Searchlight’ aired around 9pm on Jun 1 at Channel 24, Shafiq Tuhin came to know that Asif Akbar, without prior permission, sold 617 songs – written composed and sung by various lyricists and artists including him (Shafiq).

The case statement also said, as the Chairman of ARB Entertainment, Asif Akbar earned a huge amount of money through various illegal commercial uses of those songs.

Tuhin further mentioned that several hours after seeing the TV report, he cited the incident selling other people’s songs without authorisation in a Facebook post. In response, Asif Akbar threatened him using abusive language in the comment thread under his post.

“Moreover, on Jun 2, Asif again used abusive language at a Facebook live event at his verified FB page, making indecent and fake accusations,” the case statement said.

Mentioning that he would punish Tuhin, at the event Asif provoked his FB followers to prevent Tuhin wherever they meet him. Being incited, his followers threatened Tuhin to death through social media, the statement alleged.