The cases were filed under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Penal Code, Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2015.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved three cases against Salman F Rahman, former private industry and investment adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and chairman of Beximco Group, and 30 others over alleged loan fraud, forgery and embezzlement of Tk1,121.49 crore from Janata Bank.
ACC Secretary Md Saidur Rahman Khan disclosed the decision today (2 November).
The cases involve allegations of embezzling the money and laundering it abroad through three companies: Springful Apparels, Urban Fashions and Midwest Garments.
Of the 31 accused, 15 are named in all three cases. They include Salman F Rahman, his son ASF Rahman, Beximco Ltd Managing Director K Chowdhury, Crescent Accessories Ltd Managing Director Abu Naim Mahmud Salehin, RR Global Trading FZE proprietors Ahmed Shayan Fazlur Rahman and Ahmed Shahriar Rahman, and former Janata Bank CEO and Managing Director Abdus Salam Azad.
According to the ACC, loans and Export Development Fund (EDF) facilities were obtained in the names of the three companies through Janata Bank's Local Office in Dhaka, despite their recent establishment and their directors' lack of prior business experience.
The companies allegedly colluded to fabricate import-export transactions, create accommodation bills and withdraw funds through the bank. The money was subsequently embezzled, laundered abroad and transferred through various channels, the commission said.
The first case involves the alleged embezzlement and laundering of Tk141.28 crore through Springful Apparels.
According to the ACC, accommodation bills worth $17.06 million were created in the company's name, but only $440,393 was repatriated to Bangladesh. The remaining $16.62 million was allegedly embezzled and siphoned abroad.
The second case concerns Tk417.04 crore allegedly embezzled through Urban Fashions by showing fabricated import-export transactions. The money was subsequently laundered through cash withdrawals and various transfers and conversions, the ACC said.
The third case involves the alleged embezzlement and laundering abroad of Tk563.16 crore through Midwest Garments.