DHAKA, May 17, 2022 (BSS) - The High Court today fixed June 12 for hearing a rule issued on November 18, 2020, over the government's steps to arrest and to bring back Prashanta Kumar Halder (PK Halder), in money laundering case.

The court also directed ACC to inform about the progress of Halder's cases within this period.

A High Court Division Bench comprising of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order.

Senior Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC in the court. Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.

Previously on Monday, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told the court that PK Halder was arrested in India.

At the same time, he appealed for a rule hearing before bringing him back to the country. Following his appeal, the hearing was included in today's cause list.

At the beginning of the hearing, the High Court took a stern stance against the corruption and money laundering saying, "If the court gives order, money launderers will not be spared peace no matter where they hide. The court has zero tolerance against money laundering."

PK Halder, along with five others, was detained from Ashoknagar in West Bengal of India on Saturday morning.
 
India's economic intelligence agency Directorate of Enforcement (ED) carried out search operations at various residential buildings linked to Halder's associates at Ashoknagar of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal in connection with a financial fraud of multi-million Taka, diplomatic sources said.

According to the ED, he had laundered about Tk 80 crore to Canada and amassed about Tk 426 crore beyond his known sources of income.
 
On November 18, 2020, a High Court bench led by Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder issued a suo-moto rule taking into account a report published in a national daily titled 'ACC seeks Interpol's help in apprehending PK Halder'.

The rule was issued asking why the inaction of those concerned in arresting and repatriating Halder would not be declared illegal and why necessary legal action would not be taken against the person or institution responsible in this regard.

Interpol issued a red alert for the arrest of PK Haldar on January 8, 2021.

The same day, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed five cases against 33 people, including PK Halder, for allegedly laundering over Taka 350 crore of International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL).