Meantime, a Dhaka court yesterday rejected bail petition of Tarique Rahman in connection with the general diary (GD) filed with Kafrul Police Station on March 8.

Tarique's lawyers also sought bail with a sessions judge's court in connection with two extortion cases filed with Gulshan Police Station on March 27 while a special court issued arrest warrants against two prosecution witnesses of a graft case against Harris Chowdhury.

In another case, Mamun was placed on a four-day remand. The case was filed against him for extorting Tk 5 crore from local agent of Chinese Harbin Power Engineering.

Heavily guarded by police, Mamun was brought to the chamber of Metropolitan Magistrate ABM Abdul Fattah at 2:30pm where he admitted his involvement in the extortion of Tk 4.89 crore from the construction firm owner.

He told the magistrate that he alone had extorted the money on different dates from Abu Shahed Saleh, owner of construction firm 'Aclrcn', an enterprise of Reza Construction and Al-Amin Construction.

Earlier on different dates, Mamun had made confessional statements to magistrates in connection with seven other extortion cases filed with Gulshan, Kafrul, Shahbagh and Dhanmondi police stations.

In the case filed by Abu Shahed Saleh with Gulshan Police Station on May 5, he complained that Mamun had extorted Tk 4.89 crore from him on different dates in cash and cheques within the period between 2004 and 2006.

He could not dare to file any case against Mamun at that time fearing reprisal. As the situation has changed recently, he has lodged the case, he said in the FIR.

GD AGAINST TARIQUE
Judge (In Charge) Mohammad Nazrul Islam of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court rejected Tarique's bail petition in connection with the GD filed against him for corruption.

Earlier on March 15, Tarique's lawyers sought bail against a rejection order of the lower court on March 8.

In the GD, police mentioned that during the BNP-led alliance government's rule, Tarique along with his friends and business partners made enormous amounts of money through rampant corruption.

According to the GD, Tarique amassed a huge amount of money illegally by charging 'commissions' from people and through appointing his accomplices at Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Moreover, he siphoned off crores of taka through manipulating tenders using his or other family members' and business partners' influence. He was also involved in shady deals involving CNG-run auto rickshaws, power plants and electric poles -- which caused huge losses to the government, reads the GD.

EXTORTION CASES AGAINST TARIQUE
A Dhaka court yesterday fixed June 14 for the hearing on bail petitions in two extortion cases filed against Tarique after his lawyers sought bail against the rejection orders of the lower court.

The cases were filed against Tarique, Mamun, former BNP lawmaker Khairul Kabir Khokon and seven others for extorting Tk 2.13 crore from two businessmen on different dates.

Moreover, Mamun had given confessional statements to a magistrate saying that Tarique received a huge amount of the money he had extorted.

CASE AGAINST HARRIS
A special court yesterday issued arrest warrants against two prosecution witnesses of the graft case against Harris Chowdhury, former political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Judge Mohammad Ashraf Hossain of the Fifth Special Court -- set up at the MP Hostel at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar -- passed the order as the two prosecution witnesses did not appear before the court after repeated summons upon them.

The witnesses are Harris' cousin Fakruddin Chowdhury and caretaker of Harris' neighbour's house Alfazuddin.

Earlier on May 6, the same court recorded statements of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Abu Sayeed, ACC Field Officer Khandaker Akhteruzzaman, and Abdul Hakim, caretaker of another neighbour of Harris.

On April 30, Judge Momin Ullah of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court framed charges against Harris in his absence.

The ACC deputy director filed the case against Harris on April 5 for not submitting his wealth statement to the commission within the stipulated time.

In response, the court issued an arrest warrant and ordered the authorities concerned to send its copy to the police station concerned.

On February 18, the ACC asked Harris to submit his wealth statement within 72 hours, but neither Harris nor any of his representatives complied with the instruction. The anti-graft body at a meeting on March 29 approved filing of the case.

CASE AGAINST MIRZA ABBAS
Another Dhaka court yesterday rejected ad interim bail petitions filed by defence lawyers of detained former housing and public works minister Mirza Abbas in connection with murder cases.

Judge (In Charge) Mohammad Nazrul Islam of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order following two criminal appeals against the rejection orders of the lower court.

The court also fixed June 18 for full hearing on the issue.

The first case was filed with Motijheel Police Station on March 28 last year for killing Arif Morshed Khan in front of Shahjahanpur Jheel Mosque while the second case was with the same police station on December 19, 2005 for killing Rakibul Islam at Officers' Club in Shahjahanpur Railway Colony.

Abbas was shown arrested in the cases on different dates for his alleged involvement with the killings.