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Online Casino ‘Kingpin’ Salim: ACC clears charge-sheet, says he made Tk 57.79cr illegaly

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Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday approved the charge-sheet of a graft case against online casino "kingpin" Salim Prodhan, which accused him of amassing about Tk 57.79 crore illegally. 

The commission brought another charge of laundering about Tk 22 crore to Thailand and the US.

A three-member committee gave the approval, confirmed ACC Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya yesterday.

Salim came to the fore last year when law enforcers conducted a drive against illegal casinos. He allegedly amassed the wealth from online casino business, say investigators.

ACC filed a case against him on October 27, 2019, accusing him of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 12.27 crore. ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anowar Prodhan was assigned to investigate the case.

Later in the investigation, it was found that the Salim accumulated about Tk 57.79 crore illegally.

In his 2011-12 income tax return, Salim mentioned that he owns 40 percent shares, worth about Tk 6.9 lakh, of Japan Bangladesh Security Printing and Papers Ltd.

However, the company, in its 2011-12 income tax return file, mentioned that Salim's paid-up capital was Tk 69 lakh and his share money deposit was worth about Tk 23.55 crore.

"Salim concealed information of Tk 23 crore in his tax return file," sources said.

Salim disclosed that he invested Tk 11.31 crore in FDR, share market and savings certificates but could not show the money's source.

ACC also found Salim has illegal immoveable property worth about Tk 49.46 lakh, and deposits of about Tk 9.84 lakh in different bank accounts.

Thus, his illegal wealth stood at about Tk 35.41 crore.

In the investigation, it was found that Salim deposited Tk 5.49 crore at Bangkok Bank and United Overseas Bank (Thai).

Investigators were able to trace two cash deposits worth about Tk 1.22 crore and four cash withdrawals worth about Tk 2.74 crore to and from Salim's four accounts with The Siam Commercial Bank, United Overseas Bank and Bangkok Bank between October 7, 2013 and October 10, 2016.

KT Corporation on September 14, 2016, deposited about Tk 3.15 crore to the account of Salim's Global Trading and Property Ltd at United Overseas Bank, as telecommunication consultancy fees.

Salim is owner and shareholder of seven companies, where he has investments of about Tk 10.04 crore.

Earlier, investigators detected Salim spending Tk 46.41 lakh in the US for buying casino chips and other instruments.

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