The customs intelligence on Monday filed a money laundering (ML) case against 15 persons for their alleged involvement in siphoning off money worth Tk 3.78 billion through the Crescent Group.
Of the persons, two are businessmen and 13 are bank officials.
In the FIR (first information report), the customs alleged that Rupali Composite Leatherwear Limited, a subsidiary of the group, laundered the money against 190 export bills in 2018.
It exported goods, but did not repatriate the money to Bangladesh, officials said.
A seven-member committee of the customs intelligence has investigated the matter and submitted its report to the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
In the report, the committee has found involvement of the officials of Janata Bank (JB) foreign exchange audit and inspection department, and the bank's Imamganj branch.
According to the Bangladesh Bank's Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Transaction-2009, the export earning has to be repatriated within four months from the date of shipment of the export goods.
According to the Foreign Exchange Regulations Act (FERA) 1947, both exporters and relevant officers of the bank will have to face punitive action in case of the delay in repatriating the export bills.
It is also a punishable offence in light of Money Laundering Prevention Act-2012 (amended in 2015). The latest case has been filed under this law.
This is the fourth case of customs intelligence and investigation directorate (CIID) against the Crescent.
The committee found that Imamganj branch of Janata Bank bought the 192 export bills worth Tk 3.82 billion from the company, but the export proceeds were not repatriated within four months of shipment according to the rules.
Later, the company bought back only Tk 40 million against two export bills within the following seven months up to October 2019.
Imamganj branch of the bank also gave an equivalent amount of money to the company as loans, officials said.
CIID assistant director Abdullah Al Mamun filed the case.
The CIID has filed cases against MA Kader, chairman of the Rupali Composite Leatherwear Ltd, who is chairman of Crescent, and his wife Sultana Begum (Moni), managing director of the company.
It has also sued some 13 Janata officials-senior officers of Imamganj branch Md Abdullah Al Mamun, Md Sydujjahan, and Md Monirujjaman, principal officers of the bank Muhammad Ruhul Amin, senior principal officers Mogreb Ali, Md Ataur Rahman Sarker and Md Khairul Amin.
Other officials are deputy general manager of the bank Md Iqbal, AKM Asadujjaman, Kazi Rois Uddin Ahmed and Md Rezaul Karim, general manager (GM) Md Zakir Hossain (currently deputy managing director of Sonali Bank), GM at foreign trade division Md Fakhrul Alam (currently deputy managing director at Bangladesh Krishi Bank).
On January 30, the customs intelligence also filed three other cases against those persons for siphoning off money worth Tk 9.20 billion from the country on the grounds of similar allegations.
On the cases, the Janata Bank suspended seven of its mid-level officials for their alleged involvement with the incidents where Crescent Leather Ltd, Rimex Footwear Ltd and Crescent Tanneries Ltd laundered foreign currency equivalent to Tk 4.22 billion, Tk 4.81 billion and Tk 158 million respectively. Crescent chairman is in jail now, who was arrested on January 30 in connection with the case.
He will also be shown arrested in the latest case, customs officials said.
The case has been filed in the Chawkbazar model police station.
doulot_akter@yahoo.com