Appellate Division upholds cancellation of four Extortion cases against Tarique Rahman

On Sunday, a four-judge bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Justice Mohammad Ashfaqul Islam, rejected the state’s leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court’s verdict. Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik Ar Hock represented the state, while Senior Advocate Zainul Abedin, Barrister Kaisar Kamal, Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajol, and Advocate Maksud Ullah appeared on behalf of Tarique Rahman. In 2007, several individuals had filed extortion cases against Tarique Rahman at Gulshan, Kafrul, Shahbag, and Dhanmondi police stations. A petition was later submitted to the High Court under section 561(k) of the Criminal Procedure Code, challenging the legitimacy of these cases. On October 23, a High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain ordered the cancellation of all four cases against Tarique Rahman. The state subsequently filed a leave-to-appeal, arguing that the High Court’s decision to cancel the cases was incorrect.