Renowned singer and BCB director Asif Akbar has asserted his innocence in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act, in which he is accused of possessing four bottles of foreign liquor in his office. The court has scheduled the verdict for 9 March.
On Tuesday, 3 March, the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka, Ayesha Akhter Moushumi, set the date for the verdict after the conclusion of the argument hearing. Additional Public Prosecutor Mohammad Waliul Islam Tushar, representing the prosecution, confirmed that the court will deliver its judgment on the specified date.
During the hearing, Inspector Shahinul Islam of the CID Police and SI Jamal Uddin, the investigating officer, gave testimony. Following the examination of witnesses, Asif Akbar presented his defence, reiterating that he is innocent.
Earlier, the complainant, Sub-Inspector Prashanta Kumar Sikdar of the CID Cyber Investigation Branch, testified on 15 February. To date, three witnesses have provided statements in the case.
Case Timeline and Key Details
| Event | Date / Details |
|---|---|
| Initial arrest under ICT Act | 5 June 2018 |
| Seized items | Four bottles of foreign liquor |
| Drug case filed at Tejgaon Police Station | 23 July 2018 |
| Charge sheet submitted | 13 November 2019 by SI Jamal Hossain |
| Trial commencement ordered | 25 November 2024, First Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, Dhaka |
| Maximum potential sentence | Seven years under the Narcotics Control Act |
According to case records, Asif Akbar was initially arrested on the night of 5 June 2018 under the Information and Communication Technology Act. During the arrest, authorities recovered four bottles of foreign liquor from his office, which were subsequently sent to the Department of Narcotics Control for analysis.
Following this, a formal complaint was lodged on 23 July 2018 at the Tejgaon Police Station, alleging that Asif had possessed the liquor without a valid licence. After a detailed investigation, SI Jamal Hossain submitted the charge sheet on 13 November 2019.
Nearly five years later, on 25 November 2024, the First Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court of Dhaka formally framed the charges and ordered the trial to begin. Prosecutor Tushar stated, “The case was referred to our court for trial on 20 March last year. We have examined three witnesses and have demonstrated the ability to substantiate the allegations against the accused.”
The forthcoming verdict will determine whether Asif Akbar is convicted or acquitted under the Narcotics Control Act. If found guilty, he could face up to seven years in prison, making this a closely watched case in the public eye given his celebrity status.