Still live in tin-shed house in Pirojpur: PK Halder’s cousin says knew nothing about loan

Shankha Bepari, a close associate of PK Halder, yesterday told a magistrate that his cousin PK Halder took Tk 83 crore as loan and bought a flat in his name without his knowledge.

Metropolitan Magistrate Morshed Al Mamun Bhuiyan recorded his statement after ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin, also the investigation officer of a money laundering case filed against PK Halder, produced Shankha at the magistrate's chamber.

After recording his statement, the magistrate ordered to send Shankha to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, an official of the Anti-Corruption Commission, told The Daily Star.

In his statement, Shankha, who runs a mobile servicing shop in Pirojpur, told the magistrate that PK Halder took his signature on various documents at different times. But he did not know why Halder was taking his signature.

Later, he came to know that PK Halder took Tk 83 crore as loan and bought a flat in Dhanmondi with Tk 2.79 crore without Shankha's knowledge, he said in his statement.

He further said he is still living in a tin-shed house in Pirojpur, claiming that he did not take any money as loan and buy the Dhanmondi flat.

On January 4, the anti-graft body arrested Shankha after an interrogation by the ACC's Deputy Director Salahuddin, who is also investigating the case.

Later, he was produced before a Dhaka court, which placed him on a three-day remand even though his name was not included in the first information report (FIR).

On January 8 last year, the anti-graft body filed the case against PK Halder on charges of illegally amassing wealth worth Tk 275 crore and money laundering.