PK Halder and 5 others taken on judicial remand in West Bengal

Kolkata's metropolitan sessions court has ordered six persons including Prashanta Kumar Halder (PK Halder) to be taken on judicial remand.

Judge Souvik Ghosh issued this remand order on Friday when the six, including PK Halder, were brought before the court.

PK Halder, who had misappropriated Tk 35 billion (Tk 3500 crore), was arrested on 14 May in Kolkata. Six persons, including PK Halder, were arrested on that day by the Indian intelligence agency, Enforcement Directorate (ED).

After that ED took them on remand twice, for 14 days in total. Five of them, including a woman, were charged under the 2002 law for smuggling money into India from Bangladesh through the 'hawala' system. PK Halder and his associates invested these funds in various business and purchased property in West Bengal.

ED appealed to the court to take the accused in 14 days remand. The court granted them remand till 7 June.

PK Halder and the others were so long in ED custody. After the judicial remand they will be kept as prisoners in jail. According to the prison rules, ED officials will be able to interrogate then at specific times.

The judge responded to the ED appeal and gave them permission to interrogate the accused. They will be brought before the court again on 7 June. The next date for hearing then may be fixed for a considerable time after that.