PK Halder associate Abhijit sentenced to 7 years in prison in graft case

A Dhaka court has sentenced Abhijit Adhikari Tirtha, a close associate of former NRB Global Bank and Reliance Finance managing director Prashanta Kumar (PK) Halder, to seven years in prison in a corruption case. 

Judge Md Hasanuzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-1 delivered the verdict today (22 June) in the absence of the accused, who has been absconding since the beginning of the case. 

Abhijit, former managing director of Sukhada Properties Ltd, was convicted under two separate charges related to corruption. 

Rajib Dey, court bench assistant, said the judge also issued an arrest warrant and a conviction warrant for the fugitive convict. 

According to court documents, Abhijit was sentenced to two years in prison for concealing information about his assets. 

He was also given five years in prison for acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income and fined Tk1.35 crore. The court ordered an additional 30 days' imprisonment in default of payment of the fine. 

It also ordered the confiscation of assets acquired outside known sources of income in favour of the state. 

The judgment states that the sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve the longer of the two terms, or five years, under applicable legal provisions. 

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Assistant Director Manasi Biswas filed the case on 6 March 2023. 

According to the case statement, Abhijit possessed assets worth over Tk1.22 crore that were inconsistent with his known sources of income. 

He also failed to submit a mandatory wealth statement within the stipulated timeframe. 

Following an investigation, ACC Deputy Director Nazmul Hossain pressed charges on 5 May 2024, saying Abhijit had amassed illegal assets worth more than Tk1.35 crore.

The trial formally began on 13 March last year after charges were framed against Abhijit. 

During the proceedings, the court recorded testimony from five witnesses.