Staff Reporter :
A Bangladeshi scammer, Proshanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder, who is now on a three-day remand for interrogation under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India’s West Bengal, has divulged the names of big fishes in Bangladesh and India.
The National Central Bureau (NCB), Interpol’s regional office in Dhaka, has requested its Indian counterpart to extradite former NRB Global Bank managing director PK Halder, and five others who were arrested by India’s ED on Saturday.
However, the West Bengal government said that legal action would be taken if any leaders or persons involved with PK Halder’s illegal businesses.
Officials of India’s ED, probing the money laundering case against PK Halder – would ascertain if he took the help of local influential to settle down in Ashoknagar, West Bengal, after sneaking in from Bangladesh.
“We are looking into the matter if PK Halder and his associates received support from any influential person in the West Bengal State who helped them get Indian passport and other identity cards on the basis of forged documents. This is not possible without the involvement of locals,” ED sources said.
As per media reports and ED sources, PK Halder told ED officials during interrogation that he wanted to return Bangladesh.
“After learning about arrest of six persons, including PK Halder, the NCB of Bangladesh has sent email to Interpol National Central Bureau of India to extradite them to Bangladesh since a red notice was issued and a case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against PK Halder,” said ACC’s Secretary Mahbub Hossain while talking to reporters during a press conference on Monday.
The ACC will also take some other measures to bring the arrested persons to Bangladesh.
“The ACC will communicate with the Bangladesh High Commission in India and sent letter to the Home Ministry for extradition,” he said.
On January 8, 2020, the ACC filed the case against PK Halder for amassing about Tk 275 crore beyond the known source of income.
During the investigation, PK Halder fled from Bangladesh. The ACC sought assistance from Interpol through the Home Ministry.
Upon the request of Interpol, a petition was filed before court seeking issuance of arrest warrant. The court later issued the warrant. Along with the thumbprint and important information, the arrest warrant was sent to Interpol in early 2021. In January 2021, the Interpol issued a red notice.
“The ACC maintained regular communication with Interpol to know the whereabouts of PK Halder,” said Mahbub.
The anti-graft watchdog once again will give a letter to Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to collect information about the money laundered to India, said the ACC Secretary yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the officials of ED will also examine if money was channeled through any influential person or any other route as he has floated some companies in India, sources said.
Halder, a former managing director of NRB Global Bank, settled in Ashoknagar, North 24-Parganas, posing as an Indian national under the name of Shibshankar Halder and acquired properties in West Bengal – introducing himself as a real estate promoter and financial expert.
So far, the ACC has found that Halder had investments of Tk 200 crore in a five-star hotel in Cox’s Bazar, 10,000 decimals of land in Narayanganj’s Rupganj, four acres of land in Mymensingh, over 60 bighas of land in Purbachal, an 11-storey market on a nine-katha plot worth around Tk 40 crore, Tk 300-crore investment in resorts in Rangamati, several flats worth about Tk 20 crore and around Tk 100 crore in different bank accounts.
Under the alias “Shibshankar Halder”, PK Halder forged documents including ration card in West Bengal, Indian Voter ID card, permanent account number and multi-purpose Aadhar card. He used those to buy properties in India with the laundered money.
Halder’s name came up for discussions during the “anti-casino” drives in Bangladesh in 2019.
PK Halder, is the eldest of three sons of primary school teacher Lilabati Haldar and tailor Pralab Chandra Halder of Matibhanga union under Pirojpur’s Nazirpur upazila.
Since childhood, PK Halder was called “Moru” by his near and dear ones. From “Moru” to today’s PK Halder – involved in over Tk 10,000-crore loan scams – his journey has been astounding.
