PK Halder jailed for 22 years, fined Tk 1,044 crore

A Dhaka court today sentenced former managing director of NRB Global Bank Proshanta Kumar Halder, known as PK Halder, to 22 years of imprisonment in a case filed over laundering Tk 80 crore to Canada and amassing about Tk 426 crore illegally.

PK Halder was jailed for 10 years for illegally amassing money and 12 years for laundering money. He was also fined Tk 1,044 crore.

While delivering the verdict, Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-10 said PK Halder will serve the jail sentences separately.

The punishment of PK Halder will be effective from the day of his extradition from India, the court said.

Thirteen others were sentenced seven years in prison in the case. Of the total jail sentence, three and four years of imprisonments have been given for abetting PK Halder in amassing and laundering money respectively. Their jail sentences will run concurrently.

The 13 other convicts are Sukumar Mridha, a lawyer of PK Halder, Sukumar's daughter Anindita Mridha, associate Abantika Baral and cousin Shankha Bepari; PK Halder's mother Lilabati Halder and brother Pritish Kumar Halder, and his associates Purnima Rani Halder, Amitav Adhikari, Rajib Som, Subrata Das, Ananga Mohon Roy, Uttam Kumar Mistri and Swapan Kumar Mistri.

PK Halder, the prime accused in the case, was arrested in Ashoknagar, India on May 14 last year on charges of money laundering.

Today's verdict is the first instance of a Dhaka court convicting PK Halder, who stands accused in over 40 other graft and money laundering cases.

The judge pronounced the judgement in presence of four convicts -- Sukumar, Anindita, Abantika and Shankha -- who were earlier arrested and are now in jail custody.

The punishment of nine fugitive convicts will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender, said the judge in his judgment.

Earlier, the prosecution completed their arguments and sought the highest punishment for PK Halder and 13 others in the case.

The court earlier recorded statements of 108 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.

Investigation Officer Md Salahuddin, also a deputy director of ACC, on February 10 last year submitted a charge sheet to the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka against PK Halder and 13 others.

In the charge sheet, PK Halder and nine others were shown fugitives and trial was going on in their absence.

On September 8 last year, the same court framed charges against PK Halder and 13 others in the case.

Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case, on January 8, 2020, against PK Halder for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth around Tk 275 crore.