Court frames charges against S Alam, PK Halder

A special court yesterday framed charges against S Alam Group Chairman Mohammad Saiful Alam, former managing director of Reliance Finance Limited, PK Halder and 11 others in a Tk 32-crore graft case.

Judge Md Abdus Salam of the Special Judge’s Court-9 of Dhaka passed the order, said a court staffer. The court also set February 8 to start recording the deposition of the witnesses, he added.

The other accused are S Alam Group Vice Chairman Abdus Samad, directors Mohammad Abdullah Hasan and Shahana Ferdous, former executive VP and head of risk management at Reliance Finance Rashedul Haque, former corporate finance manager Nahida Runai, former SVP and credit committee member Kazi Ahmed Jamal, former deputy manager of corporate finance Jumaratul Banna, former managing director of Marine Vegetable Oils Ltd Zahir Ahmed, directors Tipu Sultan and Md Ishaq, and AM Trading proprietor Md Abdullah Al Mamun.

During yesterday’s hearing, Rashedul and Nahida Runai, who were brought to the courtroom from jail custody, pleaded not guilty after the judge read out the charges against them, said the prosecution.

According to the case statement, after colluding with one another, the accused on August 12, 2013, approved a loan of Tk 32.5 crore in the name of a fictitious company, M/S Mostafa & Co. The funds were later transferred to the accounts of Marine Vegetable Oils Ltd and S Alam Super Edible Oil Ltd.

Anti-Corruption Commission Assistant Director Mahmudul Hasan filed the case with its integrated office-1 of Dhaka on July 2 last year.