The High Court on Sunday granted one more week to two lower court judges for submitting their explanations over sending actress Shamsunnahar Smriti, better known as Pori Moni, on second and third phases of remand in a narcotics case.
The HC 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 on the cause-list on Sunday for hearing. However, after the lawyer, who was representing the two lower court judges, prayed to the court to defer the hearing for one week, the court granted the prayer.
Earlier on September 29, HC 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 before 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 on what basis they approved the second and third phases of remand against actress Pori Moni within a space of 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 a second phase remand petition for the actress.
Complying with the court order, the lower court judges sent their explanations and the investigating officer appeared before 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 for 'abusing power'.
After 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 got released from the Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur on September 1.
On August 4, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained Pori Moni after a raid in her house. RAB also seized a huge quantity of narcotics from her residence. Later, RAB filed a case against her under the Narcotics Control Act.
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