PK Halder credited Tk 2500cr to fake firms: ACC

After interrogating several persons into financial scam of swindling sultan Prashanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder who swindled 3,600 crore taka, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found that loan worth nearly 2,500 crore taka from International Leasing and Financial Services (ILFS) was sanctioned without following any norms and regulations. 

Surprisingly the loan was sanctioned just day after applying for the same from this financial institution, ACC investigation found. 

ACC unearthed such sensational information after starting investigation into the scam.  

ACC already grilled Managing Director of ILFS, Rashedul Haque and three others. 

ACC sources said, during quizzing most of the persons tried to wash their hands of the scam and blamed PK Halder but in reality the story is different. 

The sources also said, “Rashedul Haque was DMD at Reliance Finance while PK Halder was MD in 2010. The fomer was the right hand of PK Halder. In 2015, PK Halder joined NRB Global Bank as Managing Director and Rashedul Haque took control of ILFS as Managing Director and this duo in collusion with each other approved of loans worth 2,500 crore taka in favor of 40 paper-based organisations defying all rules and regulations and swindled the money later on.” 

ACC Secretary Dilwar Bhakt on Sunday said, “ACC found a solid link between PK Halder and Rashedul Haque behind the scam. We believe that board of directors, Chairman and Managing Director of ILFS can't evade their liabilities behind the scam.” 

Another ACC source said that, PK Halder appointed his close aid and a former colleague Uzzal Kumar Nandi as chairman of Peoples Leasing and Financial Services (PLFS) and his cousin Amitav Adhikari as director of PLFS.  

ACC so far interrogated 19 persons over 3600 crore taka scam by PK Halder and his associates over the span of two weeks. 

ACC also served notice to PK Halder for interrogation at the ACC headquarter but many believed that he fled the country much earlier sensing the activities of ACC and other state organs. 

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has already frozen bank accounts of 83 people including PK Halder upon being requested by ACC. 

It is worth mentioning that PLFS is the first Non-Banking Financial Institution of the country awaiting liquidation. The matter is pending with the Supreme Court. The individual depositors of PLFS are leading a miserable life as their hard-earned deposited white money has been swindled away by PK Haldar. During the coronavirus crisis these depositors are finding it hard to survive due to lack of cash in hand.  

Meanwhile, one depositor on condition of anonymity said that they are demanding restructuring of PLFS instead of liquidation like the Farmers Bank so that the depositors have their money back. The council of PLFS depositors comprising of eminent personalities and professionals from all the quarters of the society have been trying to draw the Prime Minister’s attention in this regard for more than a year.