DHAKA, June 3: A Bangladesh court sent three political leaders, including former ministers, to jail and held another in custody for further interrogation on Sunday on charges of corruption and misuse of power, said court officials.

They were among a dozen people arrested in a revamped anti-corruption sweep last week by the army-backed interim government, which has pledged to hold a free and fair election by the end of 2008.

The court order was issued after they had undergone four days of interrogation by police and other security officials.

Abdul Jalil, general secretary of Awami League party, former health minister Sheikh (Fazlul Karim) Selim, and top businessman M.A. Hashem were sent to jail on a 30-day detention order, said a court registrar.

Former junior home minister Lutfuzzaman Babar was handed over to police for another four days of questioning for alleged illegal possession of weapons recovered from his home during a search last week, officials said.—Reuters