10 more cases against PK Halder, 37 associates; 44 face travel ban

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved 10 more cases against Prashant Kumar (PK) Halder, fugitive former managing director of International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL), and his associates, alleging that they laundered several thousand crores of taka.

The ACC Secretary Muhammad Anwar Hossain Hawladar said these cases will be filed soon.

A team, led by ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anwar Pradhan, is investigating the fraud allegations against PK Halder.

According to Muhammad Anwar Hossain, 37 associates of Halder are accused in the cases. Mr Halder is also accused in all cases. The amount embezzled is around Tk800 crore.

An asset declaration notice would be issued soon against 33 associates of Halder. The agency has already issued a letter to immigration banning 44 people involved in the scam from travelling abroad, added Anwar.

Regarding the 10 cases under filing, the ACC secretary said the loan was given to the company on 10 papers without any sorting or any mortgage.

About Tk800 crore has been embezzled from international leasing in the name of loans. These funds were later transferred to various bank accounts in the name of fake companies.

Sources said the cases are being filed against the companies for embezzling the money taken in the name of loan.

The companies include Kolasin Limited that embezzled Tk60 crore, Lipro International Tk174 crore, Wintel Tk68.50 crore, Okayama Limited Tk87.60 crore, Arthscope Limited Tk98.91 crore, Neutrical Limited Tk60 crore, RB Enterprise Tk55 crore, Emexo Tk58 crore, Drinan Apparels Tk 60 crore and Konika Enterprise Tk60 crore.

PK Halder has been accused in every approved case. In addition, International Leasing and Financial Services Limited Chairman MA Hashem, Managing Director Rashedul Haque, acting managing director Abed Hossain and other associates of PK Halder are also being accused.

The other accused are Kazi Mumrez Mahmud, chairman of Drinan Apparels, and Mohammad Abu Rajib Maruf, its managing director, Imam Hossain, owner of Emex, Uttam Kumar Mistry, managing director of Lipro International, and Sukumar Saha and his daughter Anindita Saha, directors of Wintel International.

Besides, a total of 37 people including Arthscope Ltd Chairman Prashant Deuri and Managing Director Mira Deuri, Okayama Limited Chairman Subrata Das, Arabic Enterprise Owner Ratan Kumar Biswas, International Leasing and Financial Services Director Papia Banerjee and her husband Director Basudeb Banerjee, Director M Nurul Islam, among others, have been made accused in the case.

Earlier on 25 January, the ACC filed a case against PK Halder and 31 of his associates for embezzling Tk350 crore from five companies.

Former People's Leasing chairman Ujjwal Kumar Nandi and former ILFSL MD Rashedul Haque have been arrested in the cases.

On 8 January last year, the ACC filed another case against PK Halder for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth around Tk275 crore.

While investigating the case, ACC Deputy Director Md Saladin arrested PK Halder's cousin Shankha Bepari, close associate Anindita Baral, tax lawyer Sukumar Mridha and his daughter Anindita Mridha.

The ACC team recovered hundreds of documents of plots, flats and houses from a secret warehouse of Halder on 25 February. Initially, identified assets accounted for 7080-decimal land whose market value is at least Tk1,000 crore. They have been seized through the court order.

PK Halder, who is abroad, applied to the current managing director of ILFSL on 28 June last year to take measures to return to his country.

Although the court allowed his return, the fugitive did not come back and an arrest warrant was issued against him through Interpol.

The Dhaka Special Judge's Court had earlier ordered the seizure of all PK Halder's immovable property.