High Court summons PK Halder, 128 loan defaulters

The High Court on Wednesday summoned 129 loan defaulters, including Prashant Kumar Halder, the disgraced director of International Leasing and Finance Service Ltd (ILFSL), to explain how they would refund the borrowed money.

They have been asked to appear before the court on May 24, 25 with plans so that they can pay the money in instalments within a reasonable time.

The bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar passed the order on March 16. A written copy of the order was presented in the court on Wednesday.

Lawyer of ILFSL advocate Mahfuzur Rahman said the 129 loan defaulters, including PK Halder, have to pay ILFSL approximately Tk1,800 crore.

Among the loan defaulters, 100 were asked to appear on May 24 and the other 29 on the next day, he said.

On January 21, the High Court summoned another 280 loan defaulters to appear before it on February 23 and February 25. Among the defaulters, 158 appeared before the court.

The court asked them to pay the money or face time in prison.

The court also imposed restrictions on foreign visit of 122 loan defaulters as they failed to appear before the court on March 9.

Halder reportedly amassed Tk3,600 crore and laundered the money abroad while performing his duties as director at ILFSL.

On January 8, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed a case against Halder for acquiring wealth of approximately Tk275 crore beyond any known income sources and money laundering.