The High Court today rejected the bail petitions of senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas in connection with two vandalism and arson cases.

One of the two cases was filed with Paltan Police Station on December 29 last year, while the other was filed on January 4 this year with Motijheel Police Station on charges of vandalism and setting fire to vehicles.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus passed the rejection orders after holding hearing on the two petitions.

There is no legal bar to police for arresting Mirza Abbas following the HC orders, Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ullah told The Daily Star.

Earlier on April 15, two HC judges passed a split orders on the same petitions. Of the judges, Justice Quamrul Islam Siddique had granted three weeks anticipatory bail to Mirza Abbas, while Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore rejected the bail petition and ordered to surrender him before a lower court immediately.

The petitions, along with the split orders, were then taken to Chief Justice SK Sinha, who assigned the bench of Justice Ruhul Quddus to hear and dispose of the bail petitions.

Abbas was a BNP-blessed candidate for the Dhaka South City Corporation election held on April 28. But, he was not seen in campaign or during the polls for a likely fear of being arrested.

His wife Afroza Abbas led the polls campaign entirely with Dhaka police warning sternly to keep off “fugitives” accused in criminal cases from the city corporation elections.

AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon argued for Mirza Abbas, while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam opposed the bail petitions.