Police's Criminal Investiga-tion Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case involving Tk 115 crore against Mohammad Nur Ali, Managing Director of Unique Group, and his construction company, Borak Real Estate.
The case alleges irregularities, fraud, and money laundering linked to the "Banani Super Market cum Housing" project on government-owned land controlled by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in Banani, according to a CID press release on Friday.
It said that "The case was filed on Thursday with Banani Police Station."
CID said preliminary findings uncovered evidence that the accused laundered Tk 1,15,58,24,707 through operating a hotel business in an unauthorized building.
Investigators alleged that although the agreement permitted construction of a 14-storey building on the DNCC-controlled land, Borak Real Estate violated the contract terms by constructing a 28-storey structure without approval. A five-star hotel, Sheraton, was later established in the building.
CID further said based on the investigation that Borak Real Estate Private Limited exceeded the approved construction limit and built the high-rise structure without authorization.
The case also alleges that the project was not completed within the stipulated timeframe and that DNCC did not receive its entitled share. It further claims that the contract was amended multiple times through the use of influence.
According to the allegations, required no-objection certificates from RAJUK and the Civil Aviation Authority were not obtained before construction. The complaint states that the excessive height of the building may pose risks and obstacles to aircraft takeoff and landing operations.
Attempts were being made by The Daily Observer to obtain comments from Nur Ali and Borak Real Estate regarding the allegations.
Nur Ali rose to prominence in business during the 1980s through manpower export operations.
Over the past four decades, he expanded his business interests into real estate, energy, hotel and hospitality, healthcare, agriculture, education, finance, technology, and media sectors.
In September last year, CID filed another case with Gulshan Police Station against Nur Ali and 13 others over allegations of embezzling Tk 400 million through fraudulent recruitment for jobs in Malaysia and laundering the proceeds abroad.
