HC seeks fresh explanations from judges on Pori Moni’s remands
HC virtual bench was not satisfied with the explanations of trial court judges
The High Court on Wednesday once again asked two metropolitan magistrates to explain the grounds for putting actor Pori Moni on remand for a second and a third time for a drug case.
A virtual bench of Justice Mostafa Zaman Islam and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajal sought fresh explanations, not being satisfied with explanations trial court judges submitted to the High Court.
Acting on a writ petition, on 2 September the High Court directed Dhaka metropolitan magistrates Debabrata Biswas and Atiqul Islam to submit their explanations within 10 days as to why they had repeatedly granted remands to the police for Pori Moni.
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The court also summoned Inspector Kazi Golam Mostafa of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police to appear in court with the case docket. Inspector Kazi Mostafa is handling the actor's drug case.
On 15 September, the two magistrates submitted their explanations and offered an unconditional apology to the High Court for granting remands repeatedly.
At Wednesday's hearing, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the court, "Both of them came to me. They are young officers. Both are repentant and sorry. Due to lack of training, their explanations were not written properly and they apologised."
The High Court responded with "That's okay. Let them give another reply. We are giving them time and are setting 24 October for the next hearing."
ZI Khan Panna, a lawyer for human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), chimed in saying, "Yes, let them give another reply. Because there is a Supreme Court order [on remands] that must be followed."
Lawyer Abdul Alim Mia Jewel defended the metropolitan magistrates at the hearing.
The plea filed on 29 August challenged the repeated remanding of actor Shamsunnahar Smriti – known by her screen name Pori Moni – and sought the intervention of the High Court.
Following the actor's arrest on the night of 4 August from her Banani residence with a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raid, a drug case was filed.
The actor was denied bail several times and remained imprisoned in custody for 27 days.
On 26 August, the High Court issued a ruling on the delay in hearing Pori Moni's bail petition and set 1 September for a hearing on the matter.
With the ruling still pending, the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court eventually granted bail to Pori Moni on 31 August and she was released from jail custody the next morning.
