ACC gets 3-day custody of PK Halder’s lawyer, his daughter for interrogation

The ACC has been granted three days’ remand of businessman Proshanta Kumar Halder's personal lawyer Sukumar Mridha and his daughter Anindita Mridha in a case over illegal wealth acquisition and money laundering.

Dhaka Senior Special Judge KM Imrul Kayes passed the order on Thursday after hearing the Anti-Corruption Commission’s petition seeking permission to grill Sukumar and Anindita.

Deputy Director Md Salauddin questioned the duo at the anti-graft agency's headquarters in Segunbagicha before arresting them. Salauddin, the case's investigation officer, later took them to court around 2:15pm.

According to the remand petition, Sukumar and Anindita have acquired assets by using aliases in collusion with Proshanta aka PK Halder who is hiding abroad.

Sukumar and Anindita need to be taken into remand for interrogation because the investigation revealed that they also attempted to flee Bangladesh, the ACC said in the petition.

Lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir argued for the ACC.

Earlier, ACC Secretary Md Anwar Hossain Hawlader said Sukumar and Anindita watched over PK Halder’s illegal assets after he had fled abroad. Sukumar also looked after several organisations linked to PK Halder’s interest, Anwar said.

PK Halder deposited around Tk 1 billion illegally earned by showing fake loans in different accounts of his mother Lilaboti Halder, according to Anwar.

Later the money was transferred to PK Halder through Sukumar, Anindita and Abantika Baral, another associate of Halder, in attempts of money laundering, the ACC secretary said.

Anwar said the ACC has information about around Tk 200 million in Sukumar’s name while another Tk 15 million in his daughter Anindita’s name. These were all portions of PK Halder’s illegally obtained money, he said.

Responding to a reporter's question, Sukumar claimed he was innocent and said, "I am not involved in any of the incidents relating to PK Halder that are being reported in the media. He is just my client."

Abantika was placed on remand after her arrest on Jan 13. It followed the apprehension of Shankha Bepari on Jan 4, who was found to own a lavish apartment bought with Proshanta's money in Dhanmondi.

Proshanta is a former managing director of the International Leasing and Financial Services Limited or ILFSL and NRB Global Bank. He is accused of embezzling funds and purchasing large shares while taking control of four financial institutions, in which he placed his close associates in positions of power.

These companies are ILFSL, Peoples Leasing and Financial Services, FAS Finance and Investment Company, and Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company.

Following complaints from the ILFSL clients, the ACC filed a case against Proshanta last year after he fled to Canada.

The ACC said it could not find any legal source of an investment of Tk 673 million made by Proshanta in eight companies under his and his associates’ names.

An investment of Tk 3 million in Sukhada Limited under the names of Abantika, Pritish Kumar Halder and Sushmita Saha was originally made by Proshanta, according to the ACC.

Meanwhile, the Interpol has issued a red notice against Proshanta, which will be effective for five years. The High Court has slapped an international travel ban on 25 individuals, including Lilaboti and Abantika.