HC scraps 4 extortion cases against Tarique Rahman
Various individuals filed cases in 2007 at Gulshan, Kafrul, Shahbagh, and Dhanmondi police stations
The High Court has scrapped four extortion cases filed against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman during the tenure of the former caretaker government in 2007.
The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Rahman issued the order on Wednesday (23 October) after hearing the petitions filed by Tarique's legal team.
In 2007, various individuals filed cases with Gulshan, Kafrul, Shahbagh, and Dhanmondi police stations, accusing Tarique of extortion. The court, however, has now dismissed these four cases.
Senior lawyer Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and lawyer Barrister Kaiser Kamal moved for the petition in the court.
Following the court's decision, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon said, "Tarique Rahman's name wasn't even mentioned in the FIR. He was repeatedly taken into remand, tortured, and subjected to inhumane treatment. The court has ruled in favour of the petitions, thereby quashing the four cases."
Barrister Kaiser Kamal said, "These cases were filed in 2007 over incidents that allegedly occurred in 2004. These false extortion charges were brought against Tarique Rahman during the 1/11 caretaker government."
"In 2008, the court stayed the proceedings in these cases following petitions filed by Tarique Rahman and issued a rule. Today, after hearing the rule, the court has granted it, effectively dismissing the cases," he added.
Furthermore, the court granted him bail in a separate case as well.