Staff Reporter :
Independent lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul and his family have earned over Tk 355 crore mainly through human trafficking in the last five years.
The Criminal Investigating Department of police came up with the finding as they filed a money-laundering case against Shahid Islam Papul, his daughter, brother, sister-in-law and four others with Paltan police station on Tuesday.
The case statement said that Papul’s associates took Tk 5 to Tk 7 lakh from each of his trafficking victims promising them with jobs in abroad.
Papul, Lakshmipur-2 constituency lawmaker, is now facing trial in Kuwait on charges of human trafficking and money laundering after being arrested there in early June.
He is currently in Kuwait jail.
Papul-owned Marafie Kuwaitia Company in Kuwait was shut down by Kuwait authorities.
CID’s Financial Crime unit’s assistant police superintendent Al-Amin Hossain filed the money-laundering case.
He said that the amount was transacted mainly between 2016 and 2020 through over 500 bank accounts.
CID’s primary investigation showed that over Tk 355 crore were mainly earned by
human-trafficking. There are now over Tk 130 crore available in these accounts, said the police officer.
CID will now investigate the amount of money siphoned abroad, he said. There other accused in the case are – Papul’s daughter Wafa Islam, his brother Kazi Badul Alam, sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan, associate Sadikur Rahman, Job Bank International’s manager Golam Mostafa.
Two overseas employment agencies JW Lilabali and Job Bank International- both owned by Papul’s family- were also implicated in the case.
Meanwhile, the High Court on Tuesday ordered Papul’s wife reserved-seat lawmaker Selina Islam, and their daughter Wafa Islam to surrender in a trial court by December 28 this year in a money laundering case.
The HC Bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel came up with the order after holding hearing on a petition filed by Selina Islam and Wafa Islam.
Earlier on December 10 this year the same HC bench ordered them to surrender in the trial court in 10 days.
Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik who appeared in the court for the state said the accused went to the court on December 20 to surrender in line with the HC’s December 10 directive, but the court did not accept their surrender as there was no mention of the word ‘vacation’ in the HC order. The word ‘vacation’ needs to be mentioned in order as the lower courts are on annual vacation at present. The accused then submitted a petition to the HC to include the word ‘vacation’ in the order.
The HC bench on Tuesday corrected the order and asked the accused to surrender to the vacation court of metropolitan sessions judge in Dhaka by December 28, he added.
Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder and advocate Sayed Ahmed Raza took part in the hearing on behalf of the petitioners, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC and deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on November 11 this year with its Integrated Dhaka Office-1 against Papul, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan on allegation of money laundering.
ACC brought charges of laundering Tk 1.48 billion and transferring the money illegally against them.
Papul was arrested in Kuwait on 6 June this year on charges of human trafficking and money laundering. He later admitted to being engaged in these activities, and also acknowledged involvement in illegal visa trading and bribery of Kuwaiti officials.
Meanwhile, on 17 June, the Anti-Corruption Commission imposed travel ban on Selina Islam, Wafa Islam and Jasmin Akhter.
Later on November 26 this year Papul’s wife, daughter and sister in law filed three separate bail petitions with the High Court. The High Court on December 10 passed order on two petitions.
According to the case statement, though 23-year-old Jesmin has no source of income of her own, the ACC has found illegal assets worth Tk 231 million. Hiding behind companies that existed on paper alone, Jesmin Pradhan’s five bank accounts were used to launder Tk 1.48 billion between 2012 and 2020.
According to the ACC, Shahid Islam Papul used the bank accounts to transfer and launder illegal assets accumulated by his family.
Independent lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul and his family have earned over Tk 355 crore mainly through human trafficking in the last five years.
The Criminal Investigating Department of police came up with the finding as they filed a money-laundering case against Shahid Islam Papul, his daughter, brother, sister-in-law and four others with Paltan police station on Tuesday.
The case statement said that Papul’s associates took Tk 5 to Tk 7 lakh from each of his trafficking victims promising them with jobs in abroad.
Papul, Lakshmipur-2 constituency lawmaker, is now facing trial in Kuwait on charges of human trafficking and money laundering after being arrested there in early June.
He is currently in Kuwait jail.
Papul-owned Marafie Kuwaitia Company in Kuwait was shut down by Kuwait authorities.
CID’s Financial Crime unit’s assistant police superintendent Al-Amin Hossain filed the money-laundering case.
He said that the amount was transacted mainly between 2016 and 2020 through over 500 bank accounts.
CID’s primary investigation showed that over Tk 355 crore were mainly earned by
human-trafficking. There are now over Tk 130 crore available in these accounts, said the police officer.
CID will now investigate the amount of money siphoned abroad, he said. There other accused in the case are – Papul’s daughter Wafa Islam, his brother Kazi Badul Alam, sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan, associate Sadikur Rahman, Job Bank International’s manager Golam Mostafa.
Two overseas employment agencies JW Lilabali and Job Bank International- both owned by Papul’s family- were also implicated in the case.
Meanwhile, the High Court on Tuesday ordered Papul’s wife reserved-seat lawmaker Selina Islam, and their daughter Wafa Islam to surrender in a trial court by December 28 this year in a money laundering case.
The HC Bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel came up with the order after holding hearing on a petition filed by Selina Islam and Wafa Islam.
Earlier on December 10 this year the same HC bench ordered them to surrender in the trial court in 10 days.
Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik who appeared in the court for the state said the accused went to the court on December 20 to surrender in line with the HC’s December 10 directive, but the court did not accept their surrender as there was no mention of the word ‘vacation’ in the HC order. The word ‘vacation’ needs to be mentioned in order as the lower courts are on annual vacation at present. The accused then submitted a petition to the HC to include the word ‘vacation’ in the order.
The HC bench on Tuesday corrected the order and asked the accused to surrender to the vacation court of metropolitan sessions judge in Dhaka by December 28, he added.
Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder and advocate Sayed Ahmed Raza took part in the hearing on behalf of the petitioners, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC and deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on November 11 this year with its Integrated Dhaka Office-1 against Papul, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan on allegation of money laundering.
ACC brought charges of laundering Tk 1.48 billion and transferring the money illegally against them.
Papul was arrested in Kuwait on 6 June this year on charges of human trafficking and money laundering. He later admitted to being engaged in these activities, and also acknowledged involvement in illegal visa trading and bribery of Kuwaiti officials.
Meanwhile, on 17 June, the Anti-Corruption Commission imposed travel ban on Selina Islam, Wafa Islam and Jasmin Akhter.
Later on November 26 this year Papul’s wife, daughter and sister in law filed three separate bail petitions with the High Court. The High Court on December 10 passed order on two petitions.
According to the case statement, though 23-year-old Jesmin has no source of income of her own, the ACC has found illegal assets worth Tk 231 million. Hiding behind companies that existed on paper alone, Jesmin Pradhan’s five bank accounts were used to launder Tk 1.48 billion between 2012 and 2020.
According to the ACC, Shahid Islam Papul used the bank accounts to transfer and launder illegal assets accumulated by his family.
