Supreme Court clears way to continue trial against Pori Moni

The chamber judge of the Appellate Division on Tuesday stayed for six weeks a High Court order that had halted the trial proceedings of a narcotics case filed against film actor Pori Moni.

Chamber Judge Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the state against the High Court order.

There is no bar now for the trial court  proceedings to continue, said Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath, who appeared in the hearing for the state.

On March 1, the High Court stayed Pori Moni’s trial for six weeks, asking the government and the CID to explain in four weeks why the proceedings against Pori Moni should not be quashed.

The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Salim passed the order after the hearing on a petition filed by Pori Moni for scrapping the trial proceedings of the narcotics case against her.

On Monday, the state filed a petition with the Appellate Division against the High Court order.

Advocate ZI Khan Panna, a renowned human rights advocate, stood for Pori Moni while Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath moved for the state.

Earlier on January 5, a Dhaka court framed charges against three accused, including Pori Moni, in the case. All three are now out on bail. 

On November 15, 2021, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Emrul Kayesh took the charges pressed by police against the accused into cognizance.

On October 4, the CID submitted the chargesheet against Pori Moni and two others in the case.

CID inspector and also the investigation officer in the case, Kazi Mostafa Kamal, submitted the chargesheet to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.

Pori Moni was arrested on August 4, following a raid by RAB on her Banani residence. A case was filed against her under the Narcotics Control Act the following day.

On August 22, she was remanded in judicial custody again after inspector Kazi produced her in court on the completion of a day's police remand, her third.

On August 31, 2021, a Dhaka court granted bail to Pori Moni in the narcotics case until the submission of the chargesheet. She walked out of jail the following day.