Asif Akbar acquitted in eight-year-long liquor possession case

Singer Asif Akbar has been acquitted by Dhaka Court in a case filed over the alleged possession of foreign liquor without a licence, ending an eight-year legal battle.

Judge Ayesha Akter Moushumi of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court delivered the verdict on Monday in the presence of the singer. Following the ruling, Asif expressed his relief, describing the initial charges as fabricated. He mentioned that he consistently respected the judicial process and refrained from exerting any political influence to secure his release, having attended court proceedings regularly over the years.

The case originated from a June 2018 raid at the artist's office in the capital, where law enforcement claimed to have recovered four bottles of alcohol. The Criminal Investigation Department officially filed the case in July 2019 at Tejgaon Police Station, submitting the charge sheet later that October.

The trial formally commenced in November 2024. The court ultimately dismissed the charges and concluded the proceedings after recording testimonies from three witnesses.