The Appellate Division upheld the judgment of the High Court by quashing four cases of extortion filed against BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman. Justice Md dismissed the leave to appeal filed by the state party against the judgment of the High Court on Sunday (January 5). A four-judge appellate bench led by Ashfaqul Islam passed the order. Additional Attorney General Barrister Aneek R Haque heard for the state in the court.

According to the information provided by the lawyers, the High Court ruled on October 23, canceling the proceedings of four cases filed against Tariq Rahman in two separate police stations of the capital on charges of extortion. In 2007, the verdict was given after the final hearing on the separate application made by Tariq Rahman seeking cancellation of the proceedings of those four cases, including three cases of Gulshan police station and one case of Dhanmondi police station. The state filed a separate leave-to-appeal against this verdict last December. A separate leave to appeal came up before the Appellate Division Chamber on December 9. The court fixed the leave to appeal for hearing in the regular bench of the Appellate Division. The leave-to-appeals are listed for hearing on January 4.

They also said that Aftab Uddin, the managing director of Reza Construction, filed a case against Tarek’s close friend Ghiyas Uddin Al Mamun and other people in Gulshan police station on March 27, 2007, alleging extortion. Syed Abu Shahed Sohail, an official of the contracting company Al Amin Construction filed a case at Gulshan police station on May 4 of the same year. On March 8, 2007, Tariq Rahman and his personal assistant Mia Nooruddin Apu filed a case in Gulshan Police Station under the Speedy Trial Act accusing contractor Amin Ahmed Bhuiyan of extortion. Contractor Mir Zahir Hossain filed another case against Ghiyas Uddin Al Mamun on April 1, 2007 at Dhanmondi police station. In 2007 and 2008, Tariq Rahman filed separate petitions in the High Court to cancel the proceedings of these four cases. The High Court gave an order along with the preliminary hearing. After the final hearing, the High Court declared the rule absolute (final) and gave its verdict on October 23