|| Abdullah Hok, Chuadanga: A man accused of posing as a lawyer and allegedly swindling millions of taka from litigants by promising favorable court verdicts has been detained along with an alleged accomplice at the Chuadanga court premises.The suspects, identified as Abu Saleh Mahmud, also known as Sagar Ahmed, and his associate Mokbul Hossain, were detained by members of the Chuadanga District Bar Association on Tuesday afternoon before being handed over to Chuadanga Sadar Police Station.According to the Bar Association, Sagar Ahmed had been introducing himself as a lawyer affiliated with the Bangladesh Bar Council despite allegedly lacking any valid licence or enrolment to practise law. He is accused of misleading litigants by claiming he could secure bail, influence court proceedings and even ensure favorable judgments in exchange for large sums of money.The second suspect, Mokbul Hossain, is alleged to have assisted him in the scheme.Following their detention, members of the Bar Association placed a placard reading "I am a tout" around Sagar Ahmed's neck inside the court premises. The incident quickly drew the attention of lawyers, litigants and visitors, many of whom recorded the scene on their mobile phones. Several witnesses described the incident as unprecedented in the court compound.According to local sources and complainants, the latest allegation involves Mohammad Jamat Ali of Kolabari village in Damurhuda upazila. He claims he paid Tk 840,000 to Sagar Ahmed after being promised a favorable verdict in a criminal case. The alleged transaction prompted the Bar Association to intervene.During preliminary questioning, Sagar Ahmed reportedly failed to produce any document proving that he was a registered advocate or authorised to practise law.More alleged victims have since come forward.Mizanur Rahman of Kolabari village alleged that Sagar Ahmed took more than Tk 550,000 from him on the pretext of handling a criminal case related to a land dispute.Another complainant, Biplob Ali of Ershadpur village in Alamdanga upazila, alleged that he paid Tk 103,000 after Sagar Ahmed identified himself as a lawyer associated with the Bar Council.Maruf Sarwar Babu Hossain, President of the Chuadanga District Bar Association and Public Prosecutor of the District and Sessions Judge's Court, said the detained man had no valid credentials to practise law despite presenting himself as an advocate."He has been accused of conducting cases while falsely claiming to be a lawyer and collecting money from members of the public through deception," he said.The Bar Association, he added, has been working to keep court premises free from touts and middlemen in order to protect litigants from fraud and exploitation.Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman of Chuadanga Sadar Police Station confirmed that the two men had been handed over by the Bar Association."They have been brought to the police station. We are investigating the allegations. If the allegations are found to be true, legal action will be taken against them," the police official said. Police said the investigation is ongoing and no formal charges had been confirmed at the time of filing this report.