CID files case against Nafeez Sarafat, three others

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a case against former chairman of Padma Bank Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat and three others on charges of laundering money Taka1,613 crore,
CID's financial crime unit filed the case with Gulshan Police Station, a press release of CID said.
CID said Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat and with his associate Hasan Taher Imam obtained license of an asset management company-Race Management PCL in 2008.
The company got management of 10 termed mutual funds under the asset management company within 2013, which Nafeez Sarafat used for personal interests.
CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan said Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shaheed and along with other family members invested the fund of the asset management company and purchased shares of the then Farmers Bank (Padma Bank) to become a director of Padma Bank. It is known that, Chairman of RACE, Dr. Hasan Taher Imam did not consent to these actions, Nafeez Sarafat attempted to seize RACE’s shares using the then IG of Police Benazir Ahmed and certain corrupt officials of regulatory authority, subjecting Dr. Imam to cases and administrative harassment.
Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat also made his wife Anjuman Ara Shaheed a director of Southeast Bank.
Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat used the fund of Padma Bank to purchase Padma Bank Securities and Strategic Equity (Reg-2007) a security house owned by his close persons.
The CID said that the accused persons acquired some plots from RAJUK and established various institutions/universities to facilitate laundering the money abroad.
Various allegations of corruption, including pressure to invest Tk 5 billion under the bond of Best Holdings and purchase of multiple houses and flats, were published on social media and in various media outlets against Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat and his associates.
CID's financial crime unit during the investigation found that a total of 78 accounts were operated in the names of Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid, son Rahib Safwan Sarafat Chowdhury and other individuals and business entities related to their interests in scheduled banks.
A total of about Tk 1,809.75 crore was deposited in these accounts and about Tk1805.58 crore was withdrawn.
In 21 active accounts of Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid and son Rahib Safwan Sarafat Chowdhury have only Tk 29.21 lakh balance.
Since a significant amount of money was transacted in these accounts, information/documents related to these accounts have been collected and analysed, the CID said adding that it was revealed during the investigation that a total of 76 accounts were operated in various banks abroad in the name of Nafeez Sarafat's son Rahib Safwan Sarafat Chowdhury.
Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat himself owns a three-room flat and a five-room villa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the CID found.