High Court orders magistrates to explain Pori Moni remand decisions again

The High Court has asked two metropolitan magistrates to provide further explanations as to why they allowed actress Shamsunnahar Smriti, better known as Pori Moni, to be taken into police custody for a second and third round of interrogations in a narcotics case.

The court asked them to explain their decision by Oct 24, the date scheduled for the next hearing.

The virtual bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar issued the order on Wednesday.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Abdul Alim Mia Jewel were the legal counsels for the magistrates, while lawyer ZI Khan Panna represented the Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK). Deputy Attorney General Mizanur Rahman was the state counsel.  

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Debabrata Biswas approved a two-day remand for Pori Moni after the first interrogation in the case filed by the Banani police had ended. Metropolitan Magistrate Atiqul Islam then approved a further one-day of questioning in a third round of remand over the same case.

The High Court had asked the magistrates to explain what basis they had for granting these remand petitions.

The High Court had issued a rule on Sept 2 asking the two magistrates to provide an explanation within 10 days. It also summoned the investigation officer to the court with the case docket so he could explain his position on the last two rounds of Pori Moni’s remand.

Accordingly, the investigation officer appeared before the court on Sept 15 with the case docket. The magistrates too, presented their written statement to the court on that day.

The High Court said it was unsatisfied by the explanations provided by the two magistrates, stating they had violated the remand guidelines set up by the High Court and the Supreme Court and conventional law on the issue.

“We’re not satisfied with their explanations and therefore, scheduled a further decision for Sept 29,” Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam had said.