PK Halder gets 22-year jail in embezzlement, money laundering case
The remaining 13 accused were sentenced to 7 years in jail
A Dhaka court has sentenced former Managing Director of Global Islami Bank Prashant Kumar Halder alias PK Halder to 22 years imprisonment in a case filed over amassing about Tk426 crore illegally and laundering Tk80 crore to Canada.
Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-10 announced the verdict on Sunday.
Besides, the remaining 13 accused have been sentenced to 7 years in jail.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
They are - Lilabati Halder, Purnima Rani Halder, Uttam Kumar Mistry, Amitabh Adhikari, Pritish Kumar Halder, Rajib Som, Subrata Das, Ananga Mohan Roy, Swapan Kumar Mistry, Avantika Baral, Shankha Bepari, Sukumar Mridha and Anindita Mridha.
The judge delivered the verdict in presence of four convicts-- Avantika Baral, Shankha Bepari, Sukumar Mridha, and Anindita Mridha-- who were in jail.
PK Halder, along with five others, were detained in Ashoknagar of the Indian state of West Bengal on the morning of 14 May last year. On 1 March last year, PK Halder fled Bangladesh through Jashore's Benapole landport.
The five others are Pranesh Halder, two nephews Swapan Mistry alias Swapan Maitra, Uttam Mistry alias Uttam Maitra, associate Imam Hossain alias Eamon Halder, and PK Halder's alleged girlfriend Amana Sultana alias Sharmi Halder
On 8 January 2020, ACC Deputy Director Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury filed a case against PK Halder on charges of amassing wealth illegally and money laundering. According to the case documents, he had laundered about Tk80 crore to Canada and amassed about Tk426 crore beyond his known sources of income. PK Halder has kept illegal assets of Tk2,749,155,355 in his possession.
Besides, he also committed an offence under the Money Laundering Act by syphoning off money abroad to hide it.
After investigating the anomalies, ACC Deputy Director Salahuddin submitted a charge sheet against 14 people. On 8 September last year, the court framed charges against the accused.
Following the arrest of PK Halder, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of the Indian police on 15 July last year submitted the charge sheet against the accused in the Kolkata court.
In the case of the Money Laundering Act 2002 and Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, charges were framed in the name of those six accused.
At present, five male accused, including PK Halder, are in India's Presidency Jail, while the only female accused is in Alipore Central Jail.
