A Dhaka court today framed charges against GK Shamim, a top contractor of government projects, and his seven bodyguards in a money laundering case.

GK Shamim and seven others, now in jail, claimed themselves innocent and demanded justice after Md Nazrul Islam of the Special Court-10 of Dhaka read out the charges to them.

Read more: Charges pressed against GK Shamim

Before that, the judge dismissed seven separate petitions submitted by their lawyers for discharging them from the case.

The judge then fixed November 19 to start trial of the case.

On August 6, Abu Sayeed, an additional special superintendent of organised economic crime unit at Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted the charge sheet of the case against Shamim and seven others.

Sayeed, also the investigation officer of the case, said in the charge sheet that Shamim has Tk 337.3 crore in 180 fixed deposit accounts with different banks, two houses in the capital and 52 kathas of land worth Tk 41 crore.

Shamim, an expelled Jubo League leader, amassed the wealth through tender manipulation at government departments and extortion at bus terminals and cattle markets, the charge further added.