445 bank accounts of 61 people frozen over online gambling, money laundering
CID reported that the suspects maintained 595 accounts across various scheduled banks, through which a staggering Tk1,212 crore was deposited and Tk1,207 crore withdrawn
A Dhaka court today (9 March) ordered the freezing of 445 bank accounts belonging to 61 individuals and their associated entities over allegations of online fraud, gambling, and money laundering.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz passed the order following an application by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police. The court's bench assistant, Md Riaz Hossain, confirmed the matter to The Business Standard.
Suman Kumar Saha, additional special superintendent of police (Cyber Investigations and Operations) at the CID's Cyber Police Centre (CPC), filed the petition.
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The move was triggered by a complaint concerning Sheikh Md Wajih Uddin, a former official of City Bank PLC, according to BSS, who was allegedly defrauded and moved approximately Tk51.12 lakh through five bank accounts.
According to the petition, investigations into the scam uncovered a massive financial network involving 61 individuals, including SM Junaidul Haque, Omar Hitlu, and Mehedi Hasan Talukdar.
CID reported that the suspects maintained 595 accounts across various scheduled banks, through which a staggering Tk1,212 crore was deposited and Tk1,207 crore withdrawn.
The petition stated that a review of these transactions revealed links to various cybercrimes, including online gaming, betting, and cyber-space gambling.
Furthermore, the accounts showed evidence of involvement in hundi operations, laundering of local and foreign currencies, cryptocurrency trading, and customs duty evasion, the petition added.
The investigators emphasised that freezing the funds in these accounts was urgently necessary to prevent further illicit transfers and ensure a fair investigation into the widespread fraudulent activities as the investigators found indications that the accounts were linked to fraud, online gaming, hundi operations, laundering of local and foreign currencies, cryptocurrency trading and customs duty evasion.
