ACC files five new cases against PK Halder, 36 others
A four-member team, including ACC’s Deputy Director Gulshan Anowar Prodhan, was tasked with investigating the cases
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday filed five fresh cases against 37 people, including Proshanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder, and five ghost companies for allegedly embezzling about Tk434 crore.
The five cases were filed with the anti-graft watchdog's integrated Dhaka district office. A four-member team, including ACC's Deputy Director Gulshan Anowar Prodhan, was tasked with investigating the cases.
On 9 March, the ACC approved 10 more cases against 37 people over their alleged involvement in misappropriating Tk800 crore. Out of the 10 cases, five cases were filed on the day, according to a press briefing.
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Of the five sued ghost companies, Lipro International Ltd embezzled Tk174 crore, RB Enterprise Tk55 crore, Okayama Limited Tk87.60 crore, Emexo Tk58 crore and Kanika Enterprise Tk60 crore.
Apart from PK Halder, former chairman of International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL) MA Hashem, managing director Rashedul Haque, and acting managing director M Abed Hossain have been prosecuted in the cases.
Other accused are Imam Hossain, proprietor of Emexo, Uttam Kumar Mistry, managing director of Lipro International, Subrata Das, chairman of Okayama Limited, Ratan Kumar Biswas, owner of RB Enterprises, and ILFSL's directors – Papia Banerjee, her husband Basu Deb Banerjee and M Nurul Alam, Nowsher-ul Islam, Nasim Anwar, Md Nuruzzaman, Mohammad Abul Hashem and Zahirul Alam.
At the same time, the ACC has approved the issuance of asset enquiry notices against 33 associates of PK Halder. The notices will be issued against them soon.
On last Tuesday, the ACC arrested three associates of PK. They are Syed Abed Hasan, Nahida Runai, and Rafsan Riyad Chowdhury from the capital's Segunbagicha area.
The three arrestees will be quizzed after putting them on a remand on Sunday, said the investigation officer.
According to the case statements, the accused misused their power for nefarious purposes and unfairly assisted the owners of the ghost companies in getting a loan without taking any mortgage and scrutiny. In the process, the beneficiaries embezzled over Tk434 crore from the ILFSL on the pretext of loans.
On 8 January last year, the ACC filed another case against PK Halder for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth around Tk275 crore.
On 24 and 25 January this year, the ACC filed five cases against PK Halder and 32 others for siphoning about Tk350 crore off the ILFSL.
