A court here has rejected the bail plea of the influential elder son of Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who has been arrested in an extortion case, and remanded him to four day police custody.
Tarique Rahman has been charged with extortion of Taka one crore (over Rs 64 lakh) from a construction firm, police and judicial sources said on Friday.
Rahman, son of slain Bangladeshi president Ziaur Rahman, was taken to a Dhaka court under tight security last night after his arrest from his mother's residence.
Wearing a black bullet proof jacket of the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and a helmet, a grim looking Tarique told reporters "I am a victim of domestic and international conspiracies".
He was alleged to have virtually ruled Bangladesh during the past five years of BNP rule from the famed "Hawa Bhaban."
Rahman's lawyers appealed to the court to allow him to take of his bullet proof jacket and helmet. However, the court only allowed removal of his helmet.
Prosecuting lawyer read out the charges against him and the defence fought back, saying the charges were only part of a bid to defame the senior joint secretary general of the former ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
{{/usCountry}}Prosecuting lawyer read out the charges against him and the defence fought back, saying the charges were only part of a bid to defame the senior joint secretary general of the former ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
{{/usCountry}}The court rejected his bail prayer and granted a four-day remand in the extortion case.
If convicted in the extortion case, Rahman could be in jail for upto 14 years, judicial sources said.