‘Attempt to Rape, Murder’: No matter how powerful, none will be spared

Officials of Detective Branch of police yesterday assured actor Pori Moni that those who attempted to rape and kill her would be brought to book, regardless of how influential they might be.

Speaking to The Daily Star after coming out of the DB office in the capital in the afternoon, she said the officials assured her that she would get justice.

Speaking to reporters later, Harun Or Rashid, joint commissioner of DB (North), said those involved in the incident would not be spared.

The popular actor filed a case on Monday against six people, including former president of Uttara Club Limited Nasir U Mahmud and businessman Tuhin Siddique Omi, over attempted rape and murder.

The previous day, she alleged that Nasir and Omi tried to rape and kill her around midnight of June 9 when the latter had taken her to Dhaka Boat Club in Birulia, Savar.

She raised the allegations in a post on her verified Facebook page and then again later the same day during a press conference at her home, where she named the two perpetrators.

In the case statement, Pori Moni said Nasir and others ganged up on her at the club and forced her to drink alcohol by putting the neck of a bottle into her mouth, physically assaulted her and tried to rape her.

Speaking at the press conference on Sunday, Pori Moni said during the incident Nasir had introduced himself as a "friend" of Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, the president of Dhaka Boat Club.

Following his arrest on Monday, Nasir, also a presidium member of Jatiya Party, claimed that he was framed.

Pori Moni yesterday went to the DB office at 3:45pm and talked with officials till 6:15pm.

"I am mentally refreshed. Everything worked very quickly and the accused have already been arrested," she told journalists after the meeting.

"Everything took place like a magic… I have regained my strength seeing everyone's love for me."

Although a relative of Pori Moni said DB officials had called her to their office to record her statement over the attempted rape and murder directly, DB Joint Commissioner Harun said she visited the office to thank them over the arrest of the accused.

The DB official said they talked in detail about the case.

"We assured her that we will ensure a fair investigation and those involved in the incident will not be spared," Harun told reporters.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday placed Nasir and Omi on seven-day remand each in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act.

Detectives on Monday arrested the businessmen along with three young women, who are said to be members of a DJ group, with yaba tablets, foreign liquor and beer from an Uttara flat in the capital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nivana Khair Jesi placed each of the three women -- Lipi Akter, Sumi Akter, and Nazma Ameen Bristy -- on three-day remand each in the narcotics case.

DB Inspector Udoy Kumar Mondol, also the investigation officer of the case, produced the five before the court with 10-day remand prayer for each.

Manik Kumar Sikder, a sub-inspector of DB's Gulshan zonal team, filed the case against the five with Airport Police Station on Monday night after their arrest and the recovery of drugs.

In another development, Savar police yesterday filed an application with another Dhaka court seeking 10-day remand each for Nasir and Omi in the case filed over the attempted rape and murder.

The processing of that remand application will start upon completion of Nasir and Omi's remand in the narcotics case, sources at the court said.

During a hearing yesterday, the court also asked the investigation officer to submit the probe report of the case within July 8.

Kazi Mainul Islam, officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station, said as part of the investigation they have visited the boat club and asked its officials to provide a list of people who entered the club -- which is usually open from 11:00am to 11:00pm -- after business hours on June 9.

Replying to a query, he said they were yet to watch the club's CCTV footage.