India court places PK on 3-day remand

An Indian court has placed Prashanta Kumar Halder, also known as PK Halder, former managing director of NRB Global Bank and Reliance Finance Limited, on three days remand.

The court issued the order following PK Halder’s arrest in Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas in West Bengal.

On Saturday, six people including PK Halder and his aides were arrested in separate raids conducted by the officials of the ED in West Bengal.

PK Halder, former managing director of NRB Global Bank and Reliance Finance Limited, was believed to have fled to Canada after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh began an investigation into his illegal activities related to the casino business in 2019. However, he has reportedly been on the lam in India since March last year.

He was arrested in the course of raids by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) under the Ministry of Finance of India in 10 areas in West Bengal on Saturday. Two others arrested during the raids were identified as Pritish Kumar Halder and Pranesh Kumar Halder.

Disguised as Shibshankar Haldar, PK Halder managed various Indian government papers including ration card of West Bengal government, Indian voter ID card, Personal Account Number (PAN), aadhaar card etc. Other allies of PK Haldar also managed the documents, ED said.  

Through these legal papers, they opened several companies in West Bengal. They also bought lands, house.

ED also said, PK Haldar has been allegedly involved in several financial misappropriation in Bangladesh. The money was laundered in different countries including India.

The Indian intelligence has been conducting drives in at least 10 places when the report was being produced.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan on Saturday said PK wouldl be handed over to Bangladesh under the Bangladesh-India extradition treaty.

However, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said the authorities in Bangladesh still had not officially received confirmation on the arrest of fugitive PK Halder. Efforts to bring him back to the country would begin once there was confirmation of the arrest.

Interpol issued a red notice against PK Halder in January last year at the request of Bangladesh.