HC orders 2 female associates of PK Halder to pay Tk10 cr

The High Court has directed two female associates of Prashanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder, to pay Tk10 crore which is 5% of the total loan of scam-tainted People's Leasing and Financial Services Limited (PLFSL).

The High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar gave the order after RAB produced the duo before the court on Wednesday.

The operations of People's Leasing were thrown into disarray after Proshanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder, former managing director of NRB Global Bank and Reliance Finance Ltd, fled abroad after embezzling Tk3,500 crore in loans from several financial institutions, including People's Leasing.

The court also ordered to keep the arrestees – Tania and Sharmin – under police custody.  

Besides, the court ordered the authorities concerned to keep the passports of the two sisters until the remaining nine members of their family submit their passports.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the two female accomplices of PK Halder during raids in different areas of Dhaka on Wednesday (24 August).

PK Halder was arrested along with five others on 14 May in Kolkata.

According to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), he has embezzled around Tk3,500 crore from ILFSL, Tk2,200 crore from FAS Finance, Tk2,500 crore from Reliance Finance and Tk3,000 crore from People's Leasing.

The amount of swindled money they so far learned about during the investigation of the case may increase, said sources at the ACC.

According to India's Financial Intelligence Unit, PK Halder had been living in India using a fake identity before the arrest.

In July 2021, the High Court set up a board to reimburse the customers of People's Leasing. The board is responsible for returning the money invested by the customers, recouping loans from borrowers, and keeping the company afloat.