20110305
reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian criminal court on Saturday began the first hearing in the case against former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli, charged with money laundering and profiteering, the state news agency MENA reported.

Adli was a reviled figure during the protests that led to the toppling of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Demonstrators had demanded he be sacked after police beat, tear-gassed and fired rubber bullets at them.

Bank accounts belonging to Adli and his family were frozen last month following accusations that more than 4 million Egyptian pounds was transferred to his personal account by a head of a contractor company, state television said.

The next hearing in the case against Adli will be held on April 2 pending investigation of the relevant documents, MENA said.

Around 100 family members of victims killed in the protests gathered in front of the court on Saturday demanding Adli's execution, a witness said. Investigations into the violence during the protests are underway.