PK Halder fraudulently obtains Indian citizenship papers, says Indian agency

Proshanta Kumar Halder or PK Halder, a fugitive Bangladeshi accused of embezzlement and money laundering, and his two associates have fraudulently obtained Indian citizenship papers to set up companies in the country, according to an Indian agency.

PK Halder’s two associates are Pritish Kumar Halder and Pranesh Kumar Halder.

The agency, Directorate of Enforcement (ED), raided more than 10 locations in North and South 24 Parganas of West Bengal in India to nab the three men on Friday, according to a report published by Hindustan Times.

The agency said they laundered a huge amount of money to India from Bangladesh through forgery.

“The money was used for buying a huge quantity of land and property in West Bengal,” an ED official told Hindustan Times seeking anonymity.

“The money was taken as loans from various banks by companies that only exist on paper. Realising that they had been cheated, the banks informed the financial intelligence unit of the Bangladesh police that subsequently approached the Indian government,” the officer added.

According to the report, PK Halder is living in Bengal posing as an Indian citizen. He used the name Shibshankar Halder after procuring a ration card issued by the Bengal government, an Indian voter ID card as well as other necessary cards to access facilities of a citizen, the ED statement said.

His associates also managed to get similar documents, which the agency found during the investigation.