Kuwait’s public prosecution is continuing its marathon investigation into the case of Lakshmipur lawmaker Md Shahid Islam alias Papul, Kuwaiti media reported.
A source close to the matter told Arab Times that, Kuwait’s Public Prosecution issued orders to seize documents and contracts from the company of Papul as it turned out that there is an amount of 600,000 dinars received by an agent of a businessman without knowing the reason and without an agreement or a contract between him and Papul.
Papul, an independent member of parliament elected from Lakshmipur 2 constituency, was arrested by Kuwait authorities on June 7 in Kuwait City on charges of human trafficking and money laundering.
The source indicated that authorities also issued arrest warrants for two suspects, one of whom was accused of taking a cheque of 1 million dinars from Papul.
Investigators believe the suspects are currently on the run.
The source said, “The investigators believe one of the suspects had taken a cheque worth one million dinars through his dealings with Papul, as per contracts between them to employ workers in government ministries. Therefore it is necessary to know the details of these transactions.”
The source pointed out that the number of accused is currently 7, after listening to the statements of in charge of manpower ministry and a colonel in the interior ministry, and after the inclusion of a businesswoman as suspects in the case.
Kuwaiti media have also accused Papul of trading visas and siphoning off money to the US for laundering.
According to Al Qabas, Papul is a member of a three-man racket whose other members include another Bangladeshi MP, whose wife is also an MP from the seats reserved for women.
It added that the trio occupied sensitive positions in three major companies that brought over 20,000 Bangladeshi workers into Kuwait in exchange for large sums of money believed to be in excess of 50 million dinars.
In February, Papul dismissed as “false and imaginary” allegations that he trafficked people to Kuwait.
He told reporters, “I was not even involved in manpower export, let alone human trafficking.”