Pori Moni granted bail

A Dhaka court yesterday granted ad-interim bail to actor Pori Moni in a narcotics case.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka issued the bail order upon a bond of Tk 50,000 with two guarantors.

The court passed the order after holding a long hearing where the prosecutors and her lawyers placed arguments, court sources said.

Pori's lawyer Mojibur Rahman said the court delivered the order taking his client's illness, age and good reputation in the film industry into consideration.

With the order, there is no legal bar to her release, he said.

The bail order will be valid until the police file its report in the case, the judge said, adding that the prosecution could not come up with any strong reason as to why the bail would not be given.

During the hearing, her lawyers told the court that Pori, 31, was not produced before the court within 24 hours of her arrest, which is a violation law.

She was placed on remand for seven days in three phases, which is also against the law, the defence claimed, adding that Rab recovered narcotics at her bedroom, she was not carrying it.

The actress had signed up for a number of films which cannot be completed if she remained in jail. Moreover, she suffers from vertigo attacks, the defence told the court.

The lawyer also assured the court that Pori would not hamper investigation against her and will not flee getting the bail.

Opposing the bail petition, Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said Pori had committed a heinous offence by possessing narcotics.

Upon hearing from both the sides, the judge granted her ad-interim bail.

On August 22, Pori filed a bail petition with the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court challenging a lower court's order rejecting her bail plea.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh then set September 13 to hear the petition.

But the High Court on August 26 issued a rule asking the government to explain by today why the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court should not be directed to hear and dispose of Pori's bail application within two days.

The HC also fixed today to hear on the rule.

On August 5, Pori and her associate Ashraful Islam Dipu were arrested in the case filed by Rab with Banani Police Station under the Narcotics Control Act.

The previous day, members of the force detained them. They claimed they seized foreign liquor and narcotics from her residence.