Sukumar Mridha, a close associate of PK Halder, has told a magistrate that more than a hundred influential people, including two former high officials of as many banks helped PK Halder in running the scam.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ashek Imam recorded Sukumar's statement after ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin, also the investigation officer of a money laundering case filed against PK Halder, produced him at the magistrate's chamber yesterday.

The magistrate ordered to send Sukumar to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj after recording his statement, an official of Anti-Corruption Commission told The Daily Star.

In his statement, Sukumar Mridha, the owner of Sukumar & Associates, told the magistrate that he used to file tax returns for PK Halder and his family members.

"PK Halder established over 50 companies in the names of his relatives, which existed only on paper, with the help of many influential people and he took hundred crores of taka as loan in the name of those non-existent companies," he said in the statement.

In the scam, former chairman of Mercantile Bank Ltd and former managing director of Bank Asia Ltd were also involved, the ACC official added.

Sukumar also said that he bought over 4,000 decimals of land in Rupganj of Narayanganj, Bagerhat, Dhaka's Purbachal and Pirojpur while PK Halder bought over 10,000 decimals of land in his village home of Pirojpur.

Sukumar built a two-storied building on five katha of land at Ashoke Nagar in 24 Parganas of India for his daughter. He also laundered money in the name of those non-existent companies, according to the statement.

Sukumar's daughter Anindita Mridha, one of the directors of Wintel International, told a magistrate yesterday that a total of Tk 80 crore was taken from FAS Finance and International Leasing as loan in her name without her knowledge.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yasin Ahsan Chowdhury recorded her statement.

She also claimed that her father took her signature on various documents at different times. But she did not know what for.

She was also sent to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj after the statement.

Deputy Director Md Salauddin questioned the duo at ACC headquarters before arresting them on January 21.

Later they were placed on a three-day remand each after being produced before a Dhaka court.

According to the remand petition, Sukumar and Anindita have acquired assets by using aliases in collusion with PK Halder.

Sukumar and Anindita watched over PK Halder's illegal assets after he fled abroad. Sukumar also looked after several organisations linked to PK Halder's interest, according to ACC officials.