A Gazipur court on Saturday granted bail to actress Mahiya Mahi, hours after she was arrested from Dhaka airport and sent to jail in two separate cases, one filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA), reports UNB.
Anowar Hossain, superintendent of Gazipur district prison, said that Mahiya got bail in two cases.
Documents of the bail from Gazipur Metropolitan Court arrived at the prison, he said, adding that process is underway to release her.
Rokon Mia, sub-inspector (SI) of Bason police station, filed the case under the Digital Security Act against Mahiya Mahi and her husband Rakib Sarker on Friday night on charge of “defaming police” after she went live on Facebook brought allegations of taking bribe against the police.
Mahi was arrested from the airport after her arrival from Saudi Arabia but her husband Rakib Sarker, also an accused in the case, did not return home with her. Later, a Gazipur court sent her to jail.
Speaking to the newspersons, Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) commissioner, Molla Nazrul Islam said, “A case was filed against Mahi and her husband under the DSA Act on Friday night for tarnishing the image of police commissioner and police department. Police arrested her from Dhaka airport upon her arrival from Saudi Arabia this noon.”
Mohammad Ibrahim, deputy commissioner (DC) of detective branch (DB) of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said a team of Gazipur police arrested Mahiya Mahi and took her to Bason police station.
Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, a businessman, filed another case with Bason police station against 28 people including the couple on charges of assault, vandalism and land grabbing.
Abu Torab Mohammad Shamsuddin, deputy commissioner (DC) of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said police filed the case against the couple for “tarnishing the image of police, including Gazipur Metropolitan police commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam,” after going live on Facebook.
According to the case statement, Mahi, from her Facebook page, went live early Friday — making allegations against police.
During the live session, she said Ismail Hossain and Mamun Sarkar, through their people, carried out an attack on a car showroom, Sony Raj Car Palace, owned by Mahi, on Dhaka-Tangail highway near Bhawal Badre Alam Government College.
The actress and her husband also alleged that the GMP commissioner “supported the attackers” after taking bribe.
She also said she feared getting arrested after returning to the country from Mecca. During the Facebook live, Mahiya’s husband Rakib alleged that police arrested security guards of the car showroom.
Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, owner of Rod Binding Factory in Itahata area of Gazipur city and plaintiff of a case, in his complaint said, he has been running a factory in the area for the past 10 years after purchasing land there.
On Friday, some people on behalf of Rakib and Mahiya attacked and vandalised the factory, he said. They also beat up five people at the factory, leaving them injured, while trying to occupy the land, according to the complaint.
Contacted, GMP commissioner Molla Nazrul, , said, “Actress Mahiya brought allegations against police on Facebook and tried to draw sympathy through lies.”
So far, police arrested nine people in connection with the case filed by businessperson Ismail. Mahi and her husband were the principal accused in the case, said the GMP commissioner.