Another court in Dhaka fixed Sunday for hearing on arguments in a graft case against Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, after completion of recording of two prosecution witnesses' statements.

AMAN CASE
After rejecting the discharge petition, Judge Firoz Alam of the First Special Court framed charges against former state minister Aman and his wife Sabera in a case filed in connection with amassing huge wealth through illegal means.

Aman and Sabera pleaded not guilty and demanded justice before the court after the charges were read out to them.

The court fixed May 20 for trial of the case and summoned complainant and other witnesses to appear before the court on the scheduled date.

Under a tight security, police produced Aman and Sabera before the court during the hearing of the case.

ACC DDs Abdullah Al Zahid and Jibon Krishna Roy, also the investigation officers (IOs) of the case, submitted the charge sheet of the case filed with Kafrul Police Station.

In the charge sheet, the IOs said Aman and his wife amassed properties valued over Tk 10 crore illegally.

They said there are discrepancies between income and expenditure of the former BNP state minister.

He also accumulated huge wealth through abuse of power.

The DDs accused Sabera of giving false information in her statement to the anti-graft body.

HARRIS CASE
Judge Mohammad Ashraf Hossain of the Fifth Special Court-- set up at the MP Hostel in the capital-- recorded statements of two prosecution witnesses and fixed the date.

The witnesses are Fakruddin Chowdhury, Harris' cousin, and Alfazuddin, caretaker of his neighbour's residence.

Earlier on May 10, the same court issued arrest warrants against the prosecution witnesses, as they did not appear before the court after repeated summons upon them.

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

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 NTV MD
The ACC yesterday sought a three-day remand prayer to interrogate ntv MD Enayetur Rahman Bappi and owner of Sky Autos Istiaq Sadiq in a fraud case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jagannath Das Khokon fixed May 20 for hearing on the remand prayer and directed authorities concerned to produce the two on the scheduled date.

In his remand prayer, the IO Monaem Hossain, also assistant director of the ACC, mentioned that they were directly involved with fraud and they need to be quizzed to find out vital clue of the incident.

On the other hand, the IO did not seek any remand to interrogate another accused in the case, former BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj-3.

Earlier on March 29, the three were placed on a three-day remand but were not interrogated.

Meantime, the case was included as a graft case and transferred to the ACC for interrogation.

On March 17, the case was filed against them with Pallabi Police Station in connection with evading tax during import of a luxury car by abusing duty-free car import privilege of a MP.

Harun purchased a luxury sport utility vehicle-- a General Motors Hummer H2-- on April 25, 2005 under the duty-free privilege and later sold it to Istiaq.

By doing so, Harun violated his bond made to the parliament that he would use the vehicle for at least three years before changing its ownership, sources said.

Istiaq later sold it to Enayet, said police in their forwarding report.

Tejgaon police on March 7 produced the three before CMM's Court, Dhaka.

They were later sent to jail on a one-month detention.

DIPJAL ARMS CASE
Another Dhaka court yesterday adjourned hearing on charge framing against Dhaka City Corporation Ward Commissioner Monowar Hossain Dipjal and his wife Rumana Dipjal in an arms case.

Judge Mohamamd Azizul Haq of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court set May 20 for next hearing of the case.

The IO pressed charges against them on March 16 showing 12 people as prosecution witnesses.

Dipjal is still at large while his wife Rumana is now in jail custody. The joint forces seized huge arms and ammunition from their Mirpur house on March 8.