The joint forces also raided and sealed two sawmills on Maneswar Road in Dhanmondi last night after Gani confessed to having timber worth over Tk 1 crore in those mills.

Sources in the joint forces said Gani also confessed to having 18-19 accounts with different private banks in the capital in his and his wife's names. The law enforcers raided Gani's Uttara residence yesterday and recovered bank deposit books that show over Tk 60 lakh to have been deposited in banks. The sources said the amount may cross Tk 1 crore.

The police filed two separate cases against the Forest Department chief under the Emergency Power Rules and the Passport Act after Tuesday's recovery of Tk 1 crore hidden inside a pillow and a rice drum in his house. Gani was detained following the recovery.

A Dhaka court yesterday put Gani on a four day-remand in the case filed under the Emergency Power Rules and on a three-day remand in the case filed under the Passport Act.

Following Gani's confessional statement during interrogation on Tuesday night, the joint forces went to his house and made the latest recovery. The money was found in a hidden briefcase.

In its two-and-half-hour raid, the joint forces also seized documents regarding Gani's ownership of several flats and plots in the capital, bank papers including chequebooks, defence savings certificates worth Tk 1.11 lakh, postal savings certificates worth Tk 4 lakh and several travellers' cheques of different countries.

Police sources said they took Gani's wife to the Dhanmondi branch of Standard Chartered Bank early yesterday and recovered from the bank's locker 289 tola gold ornaments worth over Tk 49 lakh. The law enforcers sealed the locker.

"During interrogation at the police station last night Gani confessed to having more money and papers in his house," said Syed Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Uttara Police Station.

He also confessed to owning plots at Purbachal on the outskirts of the capital and elsewhere.