ACC files six new cases against PK Halder, 36 others

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on Sunday, filed six fresh cases against 37 people – including Proshanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder – for allegedly embezzling about Tk494.6 crore through six ghost companies.

Cases were filed with the anti-graft watchdog's integrated Dhaka District Office 1.

A four-member team, including ACC's deputy director Gulshan Anwar Pradhan, was tasked with investigating the cases.

Of the six ghost companies, allegedly: Lipro International Ltd embezzled Tk174 crore, RB Enterprise Tk55 crore, Okayama Limited Tk87.60 crore, Emexo Tk58 crore, Earthscope Tk60 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 Syed Abed Hasan; directors Papiya Banarjee, Nowsher-ul Islam, Bashudev Banarjee, and Nasim Anwar; as well as Vice President Nahida Runai and Senior Manager Rafsan Riyad Chowdhury were accused in the cases.

Others 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 Basudev Banerjee, 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 served against them soon.

On 16 March, the ACC arrested three associates of PK Halder. They are Syed Abed Hasan, Nahida Runai and Rafsan Riyad Chowdhury in the capital's Segunbagicha area.

The three arrestees will be interrogated on Monday after putting them on a remand, said the investigating 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 a mortgage or security.

In the process, the beneficiaries embezzled over Tk494.6 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.