ACC finds evidence of laundering of Tk227 crore to Singapore, Malaysia by casino king Samrat
Sources said some of his assets are still in those two Asian countries
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found evidence of laundering of Tk227 crore to Singapore and Malaysia by casino king and expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat.
They found Samrat had spent most of the laundered money in Marina Bay Sands Casino, the largest casino in Singapore.
The investigation team found documentary evidence of this after a long time, high-level sources at the ACC confirmed this to The Business Standard.
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They said a few of Samrat's assets are still in those two Asian countries, and the anti-graft body is trying to bring it back. To this end, a mutual legal assistance request (MLAR) would be sent through the attorney general's office.
The ACC filed a case against Samrat on November 12 last year alleging the amassing of illegal wealth worth Tk2.94 crore. Investigation into the case is going on. As part of the investigation, the ACC found documentary evidence of money laundering.
According to the document, from 2011 to 2019, Samrat laundered 3.65 crore Singaporean dollars (around Tk227 crore) to Singapore. At the same time, he laundered two lakh Malaysian Ringgits (around Tk41.21 lakh) to Malaysia.
ACC Commissioner (investigation) AFM Aminul Islam said, "We are investigating the case, and hope to submit the report shortly."
Meanwhile, on September 13 this year, the financial crime unit under the organised crime division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a money laundering case at Ramna Police Station against Samrat and his associate Anamul Hoque Arman.
According to the case statement and CID sources, Ismail and Anamul amassed hundreds of crores of taka by running illegal activities like casinos in the Motijheel, Fakirapool, Paltan and Kakrail areas. They laundered Tk195 crore to Singapore and Malaysia.
Samrat had travelled 35 times to Singapore, three times to Malaysia, two times to Dubai, and once to Hong Kong from 2011 to 2019. Also, Anamul travelled 23 times to Singapore during that period.
On October 6 last year, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested former Dhaka South Jubo League president Samrat and his close aide Anamul, former vice-president of the same unit, in Cumilla after raiding a house near the Indian border.
They also conducted several raids on Samrat's Kakrail office and residences in Dhanmondi and Banani DOHS. A RAB mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam sentenced Samrat to a six-month imprisonment for possessing wild animal hides and another six months for having illegal liquor.
After his arrest, RAB filed two cases against him at Ramna Police Station the next day. They had already pressed charges against him in arms and narcotics cases.
