The High Court on Tuesday imposed a travel ban on 25 persons, including PK Halder's mother Lilaboti Halder, former deputy governor of the Bangladesh Bank SK Sur Chowdhury and chairman of the International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL) NI Khan.
An HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the order after holding hearing on a petition filed by five persons who invested their money in People's Leasing and Financial Services Limited (PLFS) and ILFSL.
The 22 other persons include Harunur Rashid (First Finance), Uzzal Kumar Nandi (friend of PK Halder), Shami Huda, Amitav Odhikari, Abontika Boral, Shamim (ILFSL), Runai (ILFSL), Sukumar Mridha, Anindita Mridha, Topan, Swapan Kumar Mistri and Avijit Chowdhury.
On the list were also the names of Rajib Shom, Erfan Uddin Ahmed, Angan Mohan Roy, Nongo Chow Mong, Nizamul Ahsan, Manik Lal Shomaddar, Sohel Shams, Mahbub Musa, AQ Siddique and Moyazzem Hossain.
The court asked the bodies concerned of the government to take necessary steps so that the persons cannot leave the country and also gave the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) permission to interrogate them as per the law. The five victim investors defended themselves in the court.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan took part in the hearing on behalf of the ACC while deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
Amin Uddin Manik told reporters that the five affected investors submitted a petition saying that the 25 persons have connection with much-talked-about Proshanta Kumar Halder, popularly known as PK Halder, who swindled billions of taka from a number of banks and financial institutions and fled the country last year.
"The 25 persons are also involved with money laundering. That is why the victims filed the petition seeking High Court order imposing a travel ban on the persons," also said the state counsel.
Meanwhile, five of the 25, including Lilaboti Halder, Amitav Odhikari, Uzzal Kumar Nandi, Avijit Chowdhury and Erfan Uddin Ahmed, have already received another travel ban from another HC bench.
Five persons who invested huge money in PLFS and ILFSL on Sunday last prayed to the court to get back their capital while the court was holding hearing on a money laundering case. Then the court asked them to file a written application.
The five investors are Showkatur Rahman, a freedom fighter, Md Tariqul Islam, an accountant, Samia Binte Mahbub, a house wife, Raziul Hasan, a retired ambassador, and Dr Nashid Kamal, former professor of Dhaka University.
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