Man behind proposed 81-ft Ram statue in Gaibandha arrested, remanded in Tk9cr money laundering case

A Dhaka court today (13 July) placed Haridas Chandra Tarani Das, who previously drew attention for proposing to build an 81-foot statue of Ram in Gaibandha, on a four-day remand in a money laundering case involving suspicious financial transactions worth Tk9.35 crore.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ripon Hossain passed the order after a hearing, partially granting a seven-day remand sought by the case's investigating officer.

According to the remand application filed by Detective Branch (DB) Inspector (Unarmed) KM Rakibul Huda, preliminary investigation found evidence suggesting Haridas was involved in hundi operations and laundering local and foreign currency in collusion with others.

The investigator told the court that large sums of money had been transacted through multiple bank and Mobile Financial Service (MFS) accounts in Haridas's name. Police said further interrogation was necessary to identify the source of the funds, the individuals who deposited the money, and others allegedly involved, which would aid the investigation.

Defence lawyers sought bail and opposed the remand application, while the prosecution argued in favour of custodial interrogation. After hearing both sides, the court granted a four-day remand.

During the hearing, Haridas told the court, with its permission, that he was once a farmer and now manages a temple.

"If managing a temple makes me a criminal, then there is nothing I can do," he said.

He also claimed that the money under scrutiny had been donated by devotees and urged authorities to verify whether it had been used for any unlawful purpose.

When the judge asked whether the funds had indeed come from devotees, Haridas replied in the affirmative.

Earlier today, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) announced Haridas's arrest after filing a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act over suspicious financial transactions worth Tk9.35 crore.

According to a CID press release, Haridas, also known as Touhid Islam, came under investigation after authorities found suspicious transactions in his bank and MFS accounts despite having no legitimate source of income.

The CID said Haridas, a resident of Madhya Ramchandrapur village in Gaibandha's Palashbari upazila, completed his Higher Secondary Certificate examination from Dhaka Cambrian College in 2008.

He then allegedly travelled illegally to India for education and training before returning to Bangladesh in 2010, according to the agency's preliminary investigation.

The CID further claimed that he converted to Islam in 2019 and adopted the name Touhid Islam.

According to the agency, Haridas allegedly posed as a protocol officer to the then prime minister and used edited photographs showing himself with the prime minister, along with fake phone calls saved under the names of influential individuals, to gain public trust.

The investigation was launched following allegations of involvement in government job recruitment, transfers, hundi transactions and organised crime.

The CID said its investigation found that Tk9.35 crore had been deposited into Haridas's various bank and MFS accounts, with almost the entire amount later withdrawn, despite there being no known lawful source of income.

The agency added that the transactions originated from people across the country and were inconsistent with his known profession or income.

The investigation also uncovered information related to a case filed with Banani Police Station in 2022 under Sections 167, 168, 406 and 420 of the Penal Code, as well as the Digital Security Act.

The CID has filed the latest case with Uttara West Police Station under Section 4(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012 (amended in 2015), after its preliminary investigation found evidence of Haridas's alleged involvement in laundering local and foreign currency and organised crime.

The agency said its investigation into the suspicious financial transactions is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has strongly condemned the arrest of Haridas Chandra Tarani Das, describing it as "unfortunate and unacceptable."

In a press statement issued today (13 July), the rights organisation said Haridas, who came into the spotlight after proposing to build an 81-foot Ram statue at the Shri Shri Radhagobinda Kali Temple premises in Gaibandha's Palashbari upazila, had been targeted while those allegedly responsible for spreading communal hatred over the proposed statue had faced no punitive action.

Calling the arrest contrary to democracy and the rule of law, the Unity Council demanded Haridas's immediate release.