Former broadcast CEO, company MD out on bail amid Op Ragada money laundering probe

KUCHING, Jan 18 — A former chief executive officer (CEO) of a media company and a managing director of a supplier company placed on remand since Thursday to assist with money laundering investigations were released on police bail today.

They appeared separately before the Magistrates’ Court here at 9.45am.

The first suspect was represented by Counsel Dato Shankar Ram Asnani while the other was represented by Counsel William Teo.

The duo were among several people detained by the Bukit Aman Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (Amla) team in an operation dubbed Op Ragada on Wednesday and Thursday.

Suspects include a former Kuching City North Datuk Bandar, according to a Harian Metro report on Thursday.

In the report, Bukit Aman Amla chief Datuk Muhamed Hasbullah Ali said two men and women were arrested at different locations here.

“We arrested the four individuals, including the former Datuk Bandar and company director, to assist in the investigation of a money laundering case. The police also confiscated 32 document files at a company with suspected links to the case,” he said.

On Jan 10, police arrested five individuals, including a senior executive of a Sarawak broadcasting company, on suspicion of being involved in a money laundering case.

The Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain in a report said the arrests were carried out by the Amla Team of Bukit Aman under Op Ragada after receiving intelligence regarding suspicious transactions involving several bank accounts between 2017 and September 2024.

The suspects were claimed to have cheated in tenders apart from awarding tenders to themselves and family members, he said. — The Borneo Post