Pori Moni’s appeal seeking annulment of narcotics case disposed

The High Court has disposed film actress Pori Moni’s appeal seeking annulment of the case filed under the narcotics control act with an observation. The High Court bench consisted of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Aminul Islam passed the verdict today, Thursday. The trial therefore will continue, said assistant attorney general Selim Azad.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members had raided Pori Moni’s home in capital’s Banani area on 4 August 2021. Back then it was claimed that a huge amount expensive liquor of foreign brands and narcotics were confiscated from that house. Pori Moni was arrested under a case filed in connection to that incident. She was later freed on bail.

Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted charge sheet at the court against three including Pori Moni on 4 October the same year. The trial court on 5 January 2022, ordered to frame charges against three including Pori Moni in that case.

After the charges were framed, Pori Moni appealed at the High Court seeking annulment of the case. With a ruling on 1 March 2022, the High Court suspended the proceedings of the case against Pori Moni for three months. The rule asked to know why the proceedings of the case filed under the narcotics control act against Pori Moni won’t be annulled.

Then the state submitted an appeal seeking suspension of the High Court order. After hearing the appeal, the chamber court suspended the High Court order on 8 March 2022. Besides, the state was told to apply regularly for leave to appeal. And the state regularly applied for the leave to appeal.  

Following the hearing, the Appellate Division gave an order on 9 January last year. In the order, the ruling on the question of annulling the case was asked to be settled within six months. And the trial court was ordered not to continue the proceedings of the case during this time.

If the rule isn’t settled within the stipulated time, the proceedings of the case would continue at the trial court, mentioned the Appellate Division. The order was passed after settling state’s leave to appeal application against the High Court order. Then there was a hearing on the High Court rule.

Following the Appellate Division’s order, the High Court had a hearing on the ruling on the question of annulling the case. After the hearing, the High Court on 24 August last year set 19 October of the same year as the date of the verdict.

However, the verdict wasn’t passed on the fixed date as the bench had been reorganised. The appeal filed by Pori Moni came up on High Court’s list this Tuesday for verdict on 22 February. And the High Court passed the verdict today, Thursday accordingly.