Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday sought further explanations from the two lower court judges who granted second and third phases of police remand to actress Shamsunnahar Smriti, otherwise known as Pori Moni, in a narcotics case. The court asked them to submit their explanations by October 24, the date scheduled for the next hearing.
The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar passed the order after hearing a petition.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and 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) and 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 approved 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 on September 15 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 and fixed September 29 for further hearing on the issue.
Accordingly the petition came to the cause-list on Wednesday for hearing.
During yesterday’s (Wednesday) hearing Attorney General AM Amin Uddin requested the High Court bench to pardon the two judges for their mistakes saying that they are young and they have lack of training.
Then the court said, “Okay, let them to place another explanation. We are giving time. We are fixing October 24 for further order.”
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 ‘abusing power’.
Following 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 seized a huge quantity of narcotics from there. Later RAB filed a case against her under the Narcotics Control Act.
