Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Sunday granted one more week to two lower court judges for submitting their proper explanations over sending actress Shamsunnahar Smriti, better known as Pori Moni, on second and third phases of police remand in a narcotics case.
The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice A S M Abdul Mobin passed the order after hearing a time prayer filed by the two judges. The case came into the cause-list on Sunday for hearing. But the lawyer of the two lower court judges prayed to the court to defer the hearing for one week. Then the court granted the prayer.
Earlier on September 29, the High sought further explanations from the two lower court judges as their first explanations were not satisfactory. The court asked them to submit their explanations by October 24.
Advocate Abdul Alim Miah Jewel appeared in the court on behalf of the two judges, while lawyer ZI Khan Panna represented the Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) while Assistant Attorney General Mizanur Rahman represented the state.
Earlier on September 2 the High Court asked the two judges to submit explanations in the court on what basis they granted the second and third phases of remand against actress Pori Moni within 10 days.
The court also summoned the investigating officer of the case Kazi Golam Mostafa to appear in person with the case docket. The officer has also been instructed to explain his position as to why he placed second phase remand petition for the actress.
Complying with the court order, the lower court judges sent their explanations and the investigating officer appeared in the court on September 15. But the court expressed its dissatisfaction over their explanations.
The High Court bench on September 1 termed the decisions of sending an accused on repeated remand as not the functions of any civilized society. It also observed that the actress Pori Moni was remanded three times in a drug case by ‘abuse of power’.
Respecting the High Court interference a judge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court on August 31 granted bail to Pori Moni. Following the bail order Pori Moni on September 1 got released from the Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur.
On August 4, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained Pori Moni from her house. RAB also found a huge quantity of narcotics in her residence. Later RAB filed a case against her under the Narcotics Control Act.
