How did PK Halder flee abroad, inquires HC

Dhaka, Feb 15 (UNB) :  The High Court on Monday inquired how Proshanto Kumar Halder fled the country although his passport had been seized.
The court also sought a list of officers who were on duty at the immigration office of airport and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while Halder , the former director of International Leasing and Finance Service Ltd (ILFSL), fled abroad.
At the same time, the court also inquired about the latest development in the PK Halder case.
Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim’s bench passed the order after a list of 394 Bangladesh Bank officials who worked in three divisions of the central bank since 2010 was submitted before the court.
Advocate Md Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin represented the state and Advocate Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz moved for Bangladesh Bank.
Earlier on January 21 this year, the HC sought list of officials (from 2008 to 2020) in the ACC and three departments of Bangladesh Bank. It had also asked to investigate if the officials had any failure in preventing money laundering and whether any steps had been taken against them.
The HC on Oct 21 last year directed the authorities concerned to arrest PK Halder as soon as he returns to the country as he reportedly amassed Tk 3,600 crore and laundered the money abroad while performing his duties as director at ILFSL.
ACC also filed a case against Halder for acquiring wealth of approximately Tk 274,91,55,355 (almost Tk 275 crore) beyond any known sources of income and money laundering on January 8, 2020.
The High Court on January 22, 2020, ordered the confiscation of properties, freezing of bank accounts and passports of Halder, also former managing director of NRB Global Bank Ltd, and 19 others including his mother, wife and brother.
After hearing appeals of seven investors of ILFSL, the court also imposed restrictions on them from leaving the country.