Satkhira Correspondent: Pranath Das, director of NGO Pragati, has been arrested for allegedly extorting crores of rupees from people on the lure of extra profit. He was arrested by the police from his home in Zillashahr on Saturday morning (June 29) when he returned home after escaping to India and serving jail time there.
The officer-in-charge (OC) of Satkhira Sadar Police Station, Mohidul Islam, confirmed the arrest. He said that preparations are underway to file a case against Prananath Das on the charge of embezzlement of Tk 53 crore.
It is alleged that Prananath Das of the Kamalnagar area of the district stole money from the people of Satkhira and its surrounding districts by showing the temptation of more profit. He has a palatial house next to the old Satkhira central temple in the city.
Late last year, Prananath Das began scrambling to return deposits and dividends to customers and went into hiding. Some of the depositors, having no recourse, appealed to various offices, including the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, but did not get redress. At one stage, on December 19 last year, hundreds of customers came to the Pragati office and found it empty. Prananath’s house is also locked. The customers protested, demanding their money back.
Mohidul Islam, OC of Sadar police station, said that he was arrested by the police of that country in the Gobardanga area of the North 24 Parganas district of India on March 19. Then he returned to the country after spending a few months in prison there.
