The cases, one under Arms Act and the other under Explosive Substances Act, were filed with Sabujbagh Police Station on December 14 last year.

The other accused are Sunny's friend Fariduzzaman Swapan, JMB regional commander of Gazipur unit Enayet Ullah alias Jewel, Kamrul alias Sumon alias Zahidul and Alamgir alias Bijoy.

Out of the five accused, Sunny, the younger brother of JMB chief Shaekh Abdur Rahman, Swapan and Jewel are now in custody while the remaining two are still on the loose.

Sunny, Swapan and Enayetullah alias Jewel pleaded not guilty and demanded justice before the court after Judge Monzurul Bachhid of the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court read out the charges brought against them from the statements of 26 prosecution witnesses during the trial.

The court fixed September 17 for arguments from the prosecution and the defence.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on March 14 pressed charges against Sunny and four others in two cases, showing 36 people as prosecution witnesses.

Rab dropped the names of Monir and Abul Khair, Sunny's landlord, from the charge sheet as their involvement with JMB could not be proved.

The investigation officers (IO) said the charges brought against the five were primarily proved and they should be tried. The IOs also prayed for arrest warrants against the absconders and attachment of their moveable properties.

Sunny, member of the JMB top tier Majlish-e-Shura, masterminded the August 17 blasts across the country. He was arrested at the Polytechnic Institute in Tejgaon on December 13 last year.

Leads obtained from Sunny prompted Rab to seize 56 items of arms, ammunition, explosives, bomb-making materials, and books on jihad from the house of Abul Khair at South Manda in Sabujbagh area of the capital.