The trial of a corruption case against Prashanta Kumar Halder (PK Halder), disgraced director of International Leasing and Finance Service Ltd (ILFSL), and 13 others began at a Dhaka court on Thursday.
Justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-10 recorded testimony of Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury, an Assistant Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the plaintiff of the case.
The court has fixed October 13 for the cross-examination of Mamunur’s statement.
On September 8, the court framed charges against the accused.
The other accused in the case are PK Harder’s mother Lilabati Halder, Purnima Rani Halder, Uttam Kumar Mistri, Amitabh Adhikari, Pritish Kumar Halder, Rajib Som, Subratra Das, Ananga Mohan Ray, Swapan Kumar Mistri, Abantika Baral, Shankha Bepari, Sukumar Mridha and Anindita Mridha.
Among the accused, Abantika, Shankha, Sukumar and Anindita were arrested and sent to jail.
Read: PK Halder, 13 others indicted in money laundering case
According to the case statement, PK Halder has acquired wealth worth almost Tk 275 crore beyond known sources of income through illegal activities and kept them in his possession.
The ACC investigated the case and submitted a charge sheet to the court. In the charge sheet, the anti-graft watchdog accused Halder of laundering CAD 1.17 crore to Canada through illegal means.
The corruption case against Halder was lodged with ACC’s Dhaka Coordinated Office by Mamunur on January 8, 2020.
On May 13 this year, India's federal economic offences police arrested PK Halder and his two associates from the eastern state of West Bengal.
He is now in Indian jail.