Dhaka: Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Monirul Islam on Saturday said Sohel Mahfuz, who was arrested along with three other suspected members of militant group 'Neo JMB' from Chapainawabganj, was the founder ameer of JMB in India, as well as one of the most wanted accused in the Holey Artisan attack case.

"Sohel Mahfuz had been known as an identified militant before the heinous attack on Holey Artisan Café and Bakery. He was a founder member of the 'Sura Committee' of the banned Islamic outfit JMB," Monirul said while briefing reporters at DMP Media Centre after Sohel Mahfuz was brought to Dhaka from Chapainawabgonj on Saturday afternoon.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team comprising CTTC, Lawful Interception Cell (LIC) of Police Headquarters, and the Chapainawabganj and Bogra district police jointly carried out an operation at Pushkoronir Par of Chowdhala in Shibganj upazila under Chapaiwababgonj district early Saturday and arrested Sohel Mahfuz along with three other suspected militants-- Hafiz, Jamal and Jewel.

The CTTC had been hunting for Mahfuz as he was said to be one of the masterminds of the terror attack on Gulshan Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka last year, that left 20 hostages and two senior police officers dead. Sohel is also the northern region commander of Neo-JMB, an ultra-radical offshoot of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

The three other arrested militants are Hafizur Rahman alias Hasan, Mostafa Kamal alias Jamal and Jewel alias Ismail.

The CTTC chief said they have already found involvement of Sohel Mahfuz alias Abdus Sabur alias Hatkata Mahfuz alias Nasrullah in the Kallyanpur Militant's den and Holey Artisan café incidents.

Monirul Islam, also Additional Commissioner of the DMP, said Sohel Mahfuz fled to India in 2006. He along with other fleeing JMB leaders from Bangladesh established JMB unit there. Mahfuz was the founder Ameer of JMB India and he had served as the ameer there till 2014, the CTTC chief said.

Though he had perpetrated a number of operations in Bangladesh, he was never arrested. He had been staying in India to escape from arrest. Indian police put a Rs 10 lakh bounty on his head because of his involvement in militant activities there, Monirul Islam said.

The CTTC boss said Sohel came to Bangladesh after formation of the 'Neo JMB' here and joined the revived militant group as the 'Neo JMB' leader requested him for it. Later, he played a important role to prepare planning of the attack on the Holey Artisan café, the CTTC chief said.

"We will interrogate him to verify information, which was gathered earlier during investigations into the Gulshan café attack case. We will also try to find out other new information from him during interrogation regarding Holey Artisan café attack," Monirul said and adding that Sohel Mahfuz will be placed before a Dhaka cpourt on Sunday seeking a 10-day remand for interrogation.

"We have been looking for five absconding militants in connection with the Gulshan café attack. Among them, he is one of the three most wanted accused in the case," he said.