Dhaka: A court in Dhaka has exempted eight individuals, including BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, from extortion charges as it accepted a final report filed by the police. The decision was announced by Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanaullah. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the seven others relieved of the charges are Gias Uddin Al Mamun, Obaidullah Khandaker, Kamruzzaman, Engineer Mahbubul Alam, Engineer AKM Shoyeb Bashuri, Azizul Karim Tarek, and Monijur Rahman alias Manik. The final report was submitted by Detective Branch Inspector Md Sazzad Hossain to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court's general registration wing on November 5. The report concluded that the allegations brought against the eight individuals were not substantiated. The case originated in 2007 when Khairul Bashar, the general manager of contractor firm Abdul Monem Limited, filed a case demanding Taka 10.31 crore in extortion. On May 7, 2009, the complainant submitted an affidavit through a notary public, declaring that the allegations were false and that he had been coerced into filing the complaint by vested interests. During the investigation, he further revealed that he did not know the accused and had been forced to lodge the fabricated allegations due to political and administrative pressure.
