Meanwhile, a Dhaka court fixed May 6 to frame charges against three detained former state ministers and two of their family members in connection with three graft cases.

The accused in the three graft cases are former state minister for planning Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former state minister for civil aviation and tourism Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin, former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman, Nasir's son barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin and Aman's wife Sabera Aman.

Before setting the date for charge framing of the cases, the court accepted the charge sheets in which the accused had been charged with amassing huge wealth through corruption and abuse of power.

Judge Momin Ullah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court directed the jail authorities to produce Alamgir, Aman, Nasir and his son Helal before the court on the scheduled date. The court also asked Aman's wife Sabera Aman to appear before the court on that date.

On April 29, the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) pressed charges against them in connection with the graft cases filed with different police stations in March this year.

The investigation officers (IO) of the cases submitted the charge sheets to the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka showing 12 people as prosecution witnesses for each of the cases.

The ACC filed the graft cases against the accused on March 6.

EXTORTION CASE AGAINST MOSHARRAF
A housewife from Bhaluka in Mymensingh yesterday filed a criminal case with a Dhaka court against former health minister Khondaker Mosharraf Hossain and five others for demanding Tk 2 lakh from her husband in June last year.

The five others are Mohsin alias "Goru Chora" Mohsin, 35, Delwar Hossain alias Dilu, 45, Awal, 35, Julhas Hossain, 28, and Tapan, 40.

In her complaint, the complainant, Aleya Begum, mentioned that Mosharraf's accomplices took Tk 7 lakh from her husband Sujan Mandol for sending him to Italy. Although they failed to send her husband to Italy, they further demanded Tk 2 lakh from her husband.

Following the case, Metropolitan Magistrate Mizanur Rahman directed the officer-in-charge (OC) of Jatrabari Police Station to register the complaint as an FIR (first information report) upon investigation into the matter.

EXTORTION CASES AGAINST MILON
Two extortion cases were filed yesterday against ex-state minister for education ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon with a cognisance court in Chandpur, reports our correspondent.

Mostafa Kamal from Koroish village in Kochua upazila and Mohammad Shohag from Kochua Sadar upazila filed the cases.

In both the cases, it was alleged that on November 22 last year, Milon's accomplices demanded money from Mostafa Kamal.

On March 25, 2005, as Kamal refused to comply with their demand, Milon's goons assaulted Kamal at Koroish in Kochua. They also assaulted Shohag at Monpura area of Kochua.

Following the cases, the magistrate ordered the OC of Kochua Police Station to investigate the cases.

CASE AGAINST ALAMGIR
ACC deputy directors (DD) Sharmin Ferdousi and Jibon Krishna Roy, the IOs of the case, submitted the charge sheet of the case filed against former state minister for planning Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir with Tejgaon Police Station on March 6.

The IOs in the charge sheet said Alamgir committed a crime by not disclosing accurate financial information to both National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the ACC. The IOs said he did not mention his savings balance of Tk 1.17 crore in six fixed deposit accounts with IFIC Bank Karwan Bazar branch.

CASE AGAINST NASIR
ACC DDs Sharmin Ferdousi and Abdullah Al Zahid, the IOs of the case, submitted the charge sheet of the case filed against former state minister for civil aviation and tourism Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin and his son Helal with Gulshan Police Station on March 6.

In the charge sheet, the IOs mentioned that the two accused had accumulated assets worth over Tk 24.39 crore through illegal means.

Moreover, Nasir's son Helal transferred Tk 2.83 crore from their different bank accounts after joint forces arrested Nasir, the IOs added.

CASE AGAINST AMAN
ACC DDs Abdullah Al Zahid and Jibon Krishna Roy, the IOs of the case, submitted the charge sheet of the case filed against former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman and his wife Sabera with Kafrul Police Station.

In the charge sheet, the IOs said Aman and his wife acquired properties including house and vehicles valued over Tk 10 crore, even though the FIR (first information report) of the case mentioned Tk 8.28 crore.

The IOs said there are discrepancies between income and expenditure of the former BNP lawmaker from Keraniganj. He had made enormous wealth through abuse of power and bribery.

Besides, the DDs accused Aman's wife Sabera Aman of giving false information in her statement to the anti-graft body.

ISTIAQ SADIQ'S BAIL
The same court yesterday granted bail to owner of Sky Auto Istiaq Sadiq, arrested along with two others on March 7 under section 16(2) of the Emergency Power Ordinance 2007.

The two others who were arrested on March 7 are managing director of private satellite TV channel ntv Enayetur Rahman and former BNP MP Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj-3 constituency.

They were arrested for tax evasion in importing a luxurious automobile by abusing duty-free car import privilege for members of parliament (MP).

Harunur Rashid purchased the luxury vehicle, a Hummer H2, on April 25, 2005 using his duty-free privilege and sold it to Istiaq violating his bond made to the parliament that he would use it for at least three years before handing it over to anyone else, the police said in the forwarding report, adding that Istiaq later sold it to Enayet.

DEFAMATION CASE DISMISSED
Another Dhaka court yesterday dismissed the defamation case against Kazi Tajul Islam Faruq, who had filed a criminal case against Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina for extorting Tk 3 crore.

Metropolitan Magistrate AJM Abdullahel Baqui passed the order saying that the person who filed the case is not a victim of losing his reputation, name and fame.

An AL activist Munshi Raich Uddin of Badda in the capital filed the case with the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.