Online Desk : The Supreme Court`s Appellate Division on Sunday upheld the High Court`s verdict that canceled four extortion cases filed against BNP`s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, passed the order after rejecting the state’s leave-to-appeal against the High Court`s decision.

On October 23, a High Court bench consisting of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain had dismissed the four extortion cases filed against Tarique Rahman. The cases included three filed in 2007 at Gulshan Police Station and one at Dhanmondi Police Station. Tarique had filed separate petitions seeking the cancellation of these cases, which were heard by the High Court and led to the ruling.

Following the High Court`s decision, a leave-to-appeal was filed in the Appellate Division.

According to lawyer sources, Tarique Rahman filed separate petitions in 2007 and 2008 to cancel the proceedings of the four cases. After a preliminary hearing, the High Court issued a rule along with an order, and following final hearings, the High Court declared the rule absolute, delivering its final judgment.

Lawyers` information revealed that Aftab Uddin, Managing Director of Reza Construction, filed an extortion case on March 27, 2007, at Gulshan Police Station against Tarique`s close associate Gias Uddin Al Mamun and others. On May 4 of the same year, Syed Abu Shahed Sohel, an officer from the construction firm Al Amin Construction, filed another extortion case at Gulshan Police Station.

Tarique Rahman and his personal assistant Miah Nooruddin Apu were named as accused in a case filed by contractor Amin Ahmed Bhuiyan at Gulshan Police Station on March 8, 2007, under the Speedy Trial Act for extortion. Another extortion case was filed by contractor Mir Jahir Hossain against Gias Uddin Al Mamun at Dhanmondi Police Station on April 1, 2007. Tarique Rahman had filed separate petitions to cancel the proceedings of these four cases.