Regent Group Chairman Md Shahed alias Shahed Karim admitted during preliminary grilling by police that he had issued fake Covid-19 test reports, Detective Branch of Police said on Thursday.

Abdul Baten, additional commissioner (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, came up with the updates while speaking with reporters at the DB office.

''Shahed admitted that most of the coronavirus test reports issued from Regent Hospital were not genuine,'' he said.

Abdul Baten went on to add, ''The Regent Hospital was equipped with some Covid-19 testing machines. But these were only for show. These machines were never used for actual testing. Shahed removed these equipment before RAB carried out drive in the hospital.'' "We are now making efforts to recover the equipment. If necessary, we would conduct an operation along with Shahed," added the DB official.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Thursday granted police 10 days to grill Md Shahed when they had produced him before the court. Magistrate Mohammed Jashim issued the order.

Shahed broke down in tears while standing on the dock. He said his father died from the coronavirus. The lawyers told him to calm down. When the hearing began, a wailing Shahed appeared to be collapsing in the dock and was given water by police.

Shahed, accused in over 56 cases, was arrested from Satkhira on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, RAB filed a case with Debhata Police Station in Satkhira against Shahed under arms and special power act on Wednesday. Nazrul Islam, assistant director of the elite force, who is also a police inspector, filed the case against Shahed and two others, Biplob Kumar Saha, officer-in-charge of Debhata Police Station confirmed it. During the arrest, RAB officials recovered a pistol, three bullets, one national identity card, three ATM cards and 2,330 Indian rupees from Shahed's possession, added the OC.