Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to submit a report by January 3 next year on the progress of the investigation into the money laundering case filed against Proshanta Kumar Halder, popularly known as PK Halder, and on the steps taken to arrest and bring him back to the country.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the order with some observations while holding hearing on a Suo Moto (voluntary move) rule issued by the court questioning the
inaction of the authorities concerned in arresting PK Halder and bringing him back to the country. PK Halder and some of his cohorts allegedly swindled billions from a number of banks and financial institutions and fled the country.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the High Court observed that mere commemorating ‘International Anti-corruption Day’ will not be enough for combating corruption.
Zero tolerance must be effective and enforced in order to prevent corruption and irregularities in the country, the court said.
Meanwhile, the court allowed PK Halder’s former colleague Uzzal Kumar Nondi and his cousin Amitav Adhikari to submit their statements in connection with the allegations against them of assisting PK Halder in embezzling huge amount of public money in this court by January 3.
The HC bench gave them permission considering their petitions submitted in the court seeking permission to become party in the case in order to deliver their statements.
The court also set January 3 next for holding further hearing and passing an order on this issue.
During the hearing, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told the HC bench that the Senior Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka on November 25 issued arrest warrant against PK Halder following an application from the ACC and the court sent the order of arrest warrant to the Interpol through the home ministry to arrest him.
The lawyer added that the authorities concerned had confiscated 53 bank accounts and unmovable properties worth Tk 430 million of PK Halder.
Deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin, who represented the state, opposed the applications from Uzzal Kumar Nondi and Amitav Adhikari saying that they had submitted the applications with a view to hampering the investigation and saving PK Halder. Lawyers Mosharraf Hossain and Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared for Uzzal Kumar Nondi and Amitav Adhikari respectively.
Issuing the Suo Moto rule, the HC bench on November 19 wanted to know what steps had been taken to bring back Proshanta Kumar Halder to the country and to arrest him.
Recently International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL), a non-bank financial institution, informed the company bench of the High Court on October 21 this year that PK Halder would come back to the country on October 25 this year, but he didn’t.
The High Court on Wednesday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to submit a report by January 3 next year on the progress of the investigation into the money laundering case filed against Proshanta Kumar Halder, popularly known as PK Halder, and on the steps taken to arrest and bring him back to the country.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the order with some observations while holding hearing on a Suo Moto (voluntary move) rule issued by the court questioning the
inaction of the authorities concerned in arresting PK Halder and bringing him back to the country. PK Halder and some of his cohorts allegedly swindled billions from a number of banks and financial institutions and fled the country.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the High Court observed that mere commemorating ‘International Anti-corruption Day’ will not be enough for combating corruption.
Zero tolerance must be effective and enforced in order to prevent corruption and irregularities in the country, the court said.
Meanwhile, the court allowed PK Halder’s former colleague Uzzal Kumar Nondi and his cousin Amitav Adhikari to submit their statements in connection with the allegations against them of assisting PK Halder in embezzling huge amount of public money in this court by January 3.
The HC bench gave them permission considering their petitions submitted in the court seeking permission to become party in the case in order to deliver their statements.
The court also set January 3 next for holding further hearing and passing an order on this issue.
During the hearing, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told the HC bench that the Senior Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka on November 25 issued arrest warrant against PK Halder following an application from the ACC and the court sent the order of arrest warrant to the Interpol through the home ministry to arrest him.
The lawyer added that the authorities concerned had confiscated 53 bank accounts and unmovable properties worth Tk 430 million of PK Halder.
Deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin, who represented the state, opposed the applications from Uzzal Kumar Nondi and Amitav Adhikari saying that they had submitted the applications with a view to hampering the investigation and saving PK Halder. Lawyers Mosharraf Hossain and Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared for Uzzal Kumar Nondi and Amitav Adhikari respectively.
Issuing the Suo Moto rule, the HC bench on November 19 wanted to know what steps had been taken to bring back Proshanta Kumar Halder to the country and to arrest him.
Recently International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL), a non-bank financial institution, informed the company bench of the High Court on October 21 this year that PK Halder would come back to the country on October 25 this year, but he didn’t.
