Trial begins against S Alam, PK Halder in Tk34cr graft case

A Dhaka court on Tuesday ordered the commencement of trials against S Alam Group Chairman Mohammed Saiful Alam, Reliance Finance Limited’s former managing director Prashanta Kumar (PK) Halder, and 11 others after framing charges against them in a Tk34 crore embezzlement case.

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 passed the order and fixed 23 February for recording witness testimonies.

Alongside Saiful Alam and PK Halder, the other accused are S Alam Group Vice-Chairman Abdus Samad, directors Mohammad Abdullah Hasan and Shahana Ferdous, former executive vice president of Reliance Finance Ltd Rashedul Haque, former manager Nahida Runai, former senior vice president Kazi Ahmed Jamal, former deputy manager Jumaratul Banna, and former managing director of Marine Vegetable Oils Jahir Ahmed. The list also includes directors Tipu Sultan, Md Ishaq, and Md Abdullah Al Mamun.

Among them, Nahida Runai and Rashedul Haque are currently in jail, while the remaining 11 accused are absconding. The two arrestees were produced before the court and sought discharge from the case, which the court rejected.

Earlier, on 11 January, the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court accepted the charge sheet and ordered the case to be transferred to Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 for trial.

According to the case documents, the accused, acting in collusion, took a Tk34 crore loan in the name of a shell company, AM Trading, on 8 August 2013, and disbursed the loan on 9 September 2013. The money was later transferred to S Alam Super Edible Oil Limited.

The case was filed on 2 July last year by ACC Deputy Director Tahasin Munabil Haque, and on 16 October of the same year, he filed the charge sheet against 13 accused following investigation.