Casino kingpin Salim allegedly laundered more than Tk13cr abroad

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police has found that online casino kingpin Salim Prodhan has laundered at least Tk13 crore abroad. 

The money had been allegedly amassed by operating illegal online casinos in the capital's Gulshan and Banani areas. 

The CID submitted the charge-sheet against Selim Pradhan and his five associates over money laundering on Thursday.  

Md Shahidul Islam Khan, inspector of the Financial Crime Unit of CID, submitted the charge-sheet before a Dhaka court.

The accused mentioned in the charge-sheet are: Salim Prodhan, Md Aktaruzzaman, Md Roman, Md Arifuzzaman alias Simanto Arif, Chowdhury Golam Mawla alias Shawon and a foreigner named Younsik Lee. 

Among them, Md Arifuzzaman and Chowdhury Golam Mawla are absconding since the drive against illegal casino and gambling was conducted.  

The CID has found a luxurious villa in Thailand and nine other businesses that belongs to the accused. 

"The CID also seized two cheques worth Tk60 crores during investigating the money laundering cases," said Jisan Haque, senior assistant superintendent of CID. 

Salim Prodhan was arrested from a Bangkok-bound Thai Airways flight at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on September 30, over his alleged involvement in running an online casino business.

Later that night, the Rapid Action Battalion raided his office and residence in Gulshan and arrested Selim's associates Aktaruzzaman, Roman, and Masum.

The elite force also recovered 48 bottles of foreign liquor, Tk28 lakh in cash, foreign currencies from 23 different countries worth around Tk77 lakh, 12 passports, 32 cheque books of 13 banks, one large server used in game operating, four laptops and two deer hides.

A Rab mobile court also sentenced Salim to six-month imprisonment for illegally keeping the deer hides.