Money laundering: HC bail for PK Halder’s associate Bashudeb stayed

The Supreme Court today stayed the High Court orders that granted anticipatory bail to Bashudeb Banerjee, an associate of PK Haldar and the then director of International Leasing and Financial Services (ILFS), and his wife Paipa Banerjee, also a director of the institution, in 14 money laundering cases.

The chamber judge of the SC's Appellate Division stayed the bail orders for eight weeks and directed Bashudeb, and Papia to surrender to the trial court concerned in two weeks in connection with the cases.

Prashanta Kumar Halder, known as PK Halder, a former managing director of NRB Global Bank, is reportedly involved in Tk 10,000 crore loan scam. He was arrested in Ashoknagar, India on May 14, 2022 on charges of money laundering.

Today, Justice M Enayetur Rahim, the apex court chamber judge, passed the orders following 15 separate petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that challenged the HC orders of bail.

Senior Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC during hearing of the petitions.

Earlier on May 9, the HC granted anticipatory bail to Bashudeb in 14 cases and Papia in five cases for six weeks, saying that they cannot go aboard without permission from the court.

The ACC filed the cases in 2021 on charge of laundering Tk 750 crore, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star.