PK Halder’s escape: Immigration info not right, ACC tells HC

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today informed the High Court that the information provided by immigration department on how Prashanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder fled from the country is not right.

During a hearing today, the anti-graft commission told the court that they sent notice on time imposing a travel ban on the former managing director of NRB Global Bank and Reliance Finance Limited.

Earlier, the High Court, after receiving immigration department's information, had blamed ACC for the failure to arrest PK Halder before he managed to flee the country.

ACC on Monday submitted a counter report replying to the High Court stating that ACC's travel ban notice against 24 people, including PK Haldar, was issued on 22 October, 2019 and sent on the next day, (23 October, at 10.30 am), which was accepted immigration accordingly.

PK Halder fled the country by road through the Benapole land port at 3.38 pm on 23 October the same year.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police has submitted to the High Court a list of police personnel responsible for PK Haldar's escape.

PK Halder's case came under spotlight during anti-casino drives in the country in 2019.

Later, ACC launched an investigation into the involvement of 43 people, including Halder, in the illegal casino establishment.

According to the ACC enquiry, Halder and his accomplices misappropriated around Tk11,000 crore. Of the institutions, they embezzled Tk3,500 crore from the International Leasing, Tk2,200 crore from FAS Finance, Tk2,500 crore from Reliance Finance, and around Tk3,000 crore from People's Leasing.