Man behind proposed 81-foot Ram idol in Gaibandha sent to jail after remand
CID tells the court Haridas disclosed key information on bank and MFS transactions during remand in the money laundering case.
A Dhaka court today (16 July) sent Haridas Chandra Tarani Das, the man behind a proposed 81-foot Ram idol in Gaibandha, to jail after his remand ended in a money laundering case involving allegations of laundering Tk9.35 crore.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam passed the order following a petition filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said Dhaka Metropolitan Prosecution Division SI Helal Uddin.
The CID told the court that Haridas had provided key information during interrogation that would help the investigation, including details of transactions through his bank and mobile financial service accounts.
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The CID's Financial Crime Unit filed the case with Uttara West Police Station on 11 July, accusing Haridas of laundering Tk9.35 crore. Detective Branch (DB) police arrested him around 12:30am that night in Madhya Ramchandrapur village, under Hosenpur union in Gaibandha's Palashbari upazila.
The following day, the court placed him on a four-day remand.
After the remand ended, CID Financial Crime Inspector KM Rakibul Huda produced Haridas before the court and sought his detention in jail until the investigation is completed.
According to the petition, investigators questioned Haridas during remand and obtained information on deposits made to his bank and MFS accounts, including who deposited the money, the purpose of the transactions, and how the funds were transferred and used.
The CID said the information is being verified and that the investigation is continuing. It argued that keeping Haridas in custody is necessary until the investigation is completed, adding that his release on bail could hamper the probe.
Haridas's lawyer, Shyamal Kumar Roy, sought bail, while the prosecution opposed the plea.
After hearing both sides, the court rejected the bail petition and sent him to jail.
According to the case statement, Haridas is the founder of the controversial Shri Shri Radha Gobinda Kali Temple in Palashbari, Gaibandha.
Investigators allege that, while presenting himself as an ordinary businessman, he was involved in hundi operations and laundering domestic and foreign currencies under the cover of business activities.
The CID said an analysis of Haridas's nine bank accounts and other documents found unexplained cash deposits from individuals across the country that were unrelated to his business activities.
The case also alleges that Haridas, along with two or three unidentified associates, operated an organised hundi network that laundered domestic and foreign currencies.
The group allegedly concealed the source, ownership, and location of Tk9.35 crore in illicit funds through transfers, conversions, and other financial transactions.
Construction of a Ram idol recently began at the Radha Gobinda and Kali Temple premises in Palashbari. Temple authorities claimed it would be the "largest Ram idol in Asia".
However, after the Imam-Ulama Parishad questioned the source of funding and launched protests, the temple committee suspended construction on 9 June.
