A court sentenced People's Leasing and Financial Services Limited MD Prashant Kumar Halder alias PK Halder to 22 years in prison on charges of illegal wealth acquisition and money laundering. Another 13 accused have been sentenced to 7 years each in prison.
Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-10 announced the verdict on Sunday (October 8).
In addition to the jail term, each of them has been fined in various amounts.
On October 4, Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka's Special Judge Court-10 fixed this date for the judgment after the arguments. The hearing in the case ended on July 20. The court accepted the testimony of 108 people in the case.
Apart from PK Halder, the other accused are PK Halder's mother Lilavati Halder, Purnima Rani Halder, Uttam Kumar Mistry, Amitabh Adhikari, Pritish Kumar Halder, Rajiv Som, Subrata Das, Anang Mohan Roy and Swapan Kumar Mistry, Shankh Bepari, Sukumar Mrida, Anindita. Mridha and Avantika Baral.
Among the accused, Shankha Bepari, Sukumar Mridha, Anindita Mridha and Avantika Baral are lodged in jail. The rest are absconding.
On January 8, 2020, ACC Deputy Director Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury filed a case against PK Halder on charges of illegal wealth acquisition and money laundering.
According to the records of the case, PK Halder is in possession of illegal assets of money Tk. 274 crore 91 lakh 55 thousand 355 beyond his legal source of income. Besides, he also committed an offense under the Money Laundering Act by smuggling the money abroad to hide it.