Aman, wife indicted for extortion

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against detained former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman and 11 others in a Tk 10 lakh extortion case.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will interrogate detained Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam Babul at the jail gate in connection with a graft case.
Arrest warrants were issued against wife, brother, son, daughters, brother-in-law and son-in-law of detained Dhaka City Corporation Ward Commissioner Chowdhury Alam in a graft case.
Aman and two of his accomplices pleaded not guilty and demanded justice before the court after Judge (In-charge) Mohammad Altaf Hossain of the District and Sessions Judge's Court read out the charges.
Two accused who pleaded not guilty are SM Firoz and Abdul Hamid.
Meanwhile, charges were framed against nine others in absentia. They are Mojibur Rahman, Mostan, Shaikat, Amir, Abdul Latif, Hossain, Zillur Rahman, Abul Kalam and Raja.
The court fixed October 30 for trial of the case and summoned the complainant and others to appear before the court on the scheduled date for their statements.
According to the prosecution, a gang of miscreants being instructed by Aman went to West Aganagar Khwaja Market and demanded Tk 25 lakh as extortion from businessman Rabiul Hassan on June 26, 2004.
They also threatened to kill him or demolish the boundary wall of his residence at Dakkhin Keraniganj if he refused to give the amount.
Fearing attack on his life, the victim paid Tk 10 lakh to Aman's wife on May 10, 2005, the complainant added.
An extortion case was filed against Aman and others with Dakkhin Keraniganj Police Station on March 6 this year.
The investigation officer pressed charges on July 10 showing 15 people as prosecution witnesses.
The case was also brought under the Emergency Power Rules for quick disposal.
Earlier, Aman was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for amassing huge wealth through illegal means.
BABUL CASE
Metropolitan Magistrate Mizanur Rahman allowed the ACC to interrogate Babul at the jail gate in a case filed for concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the anti-graft commission.
The court passed the order after ACC Assistant Director Shamsul Alam submitted a petition seeking permission to quiz Babul.
The case was filed on August 19 against Babul, his wife advocate Salma Islam and their son Shamim Islam for concealing Tk 43,980,412 in their wealth statements.
ALAM CASE
Judge Mohammad Azizul of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court issued arrest warrants against Alam's family members as they did not appear before the court.
They are Alam's wife Hasina Chowdhury, brother Khorshed Alam Mintu, son Abu Sayed, daughters Mahmuda Akhter and Mahfuza Akhter, son-in-law Selim Miah and brother-in-law Rahamat Ali Labu.
ACC Assistant Director Abdul Latif submitted the charge sheet on October 7 against Alam and others in the graft case filed on June 13 in connection with concealing Tk 7 crore in their wealth statements.