PK Halder’s Tk 3,500cr Scam: ACC summons four high-ups of People’s Leasing
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned four high-ups of Peoples Leasing and Financial Services Limited to quiz over misappropriation of Tk 3,500 crore allegedly by Prashanta Kumar Halder, known better as PK Halder.
In separate letters, ACC's Deputy Director Gulshan Anowar Prodhan asked Peoples Leasing's chief executive officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Sami Huda, executive vice president Kazi Ahmed Jamal, chief financial officer Manik Lal Samaddar and head of credit Mahmuda Kaisar to appear before the ACC's Segunbagicha headquarters on January 14.
Sources said while PK Halder was managing director of Reliance Finance, he made some of his relatives and cohorts directors of some other leasing companies and got hold of these companies, People's Leasing being one of them.
"They dragged the company [People's Leasing] down to the street. They not only sold immovable properties of these companies but also shared portfolio of depositors," said an ACC official, preferring to be unnamed.
Besides, they misappropriated Tk 60 crore loan sanctioned to two companies, he said.
Last week, ACC summoned seven persons including former chairman and a director of People's Leasing to appear before it today and tomorrow, to face questioning over embezzlement of over Tk 3,500 crore from the company.
Halder came to limelight during anti-casino drives in 2019. ACC launched an investigation into the involvement of 43 people, including him, in the illegal casino business.
ACC on January 8 last year filed a case against Halder on charges of illegally amassing wealth worth Tk 275 crore.
In connection with the graft case, ACC arrested Shankha Bepari, an associate of Halder on January 4.
The following day, the High Court (HC) issued a travel ban against 25 accomplices of Halder, including his mother Lilaboti Halder.
In the last week of December, ACC seized Halder's two flats and six acres of immovable property, following a court order.
Halder allegedly laundered over Tk 10,000 crore of four non-banking financial institutions. Several enquiries against him are now pending with the ACC.
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