RAB detains actor Pori Moni, seizes liquor bottles, LSD blotting paper from her house

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) conducted a raid at the home of Dhallywood actor Pori Moni in Banani, Dhaka on Wednesday.

So far, RAB says they have recovered 30 bottles of foreign liquor from her house and detained the actor, whose real name is Samsunnahar Smriti.

Pori Moni has been detained and taken into RAB custody.

A RAB team carried out the raid based on specific allegations against her, said the force's Legal and Media Wing Assistant Director ANM Imran Khan.

The raid began at around 4pm, with several people gathering in front of the Banani residence named Lake View. The Banani society authorities made announcements using megaphones urging people to not crowd the area considering the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Photo shows a stash of liquor bottles seized from the house of actor Pori Moni during a raid by RAB members on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 | Dhaka Tribune

According to witnesses, Lt Col Khairul Islam, in-charge of RAB’s intelligence wing, was seen entering the  premises of the residence along with several plain-clothed DB officials.

However, Pori Moni in a Facebook live video from her verified page claimed that many people came to her house and entered it forcibly. She claimed they could be robbers and that she had informed the law enforcement several times but they had not yet come to help her.

Also Read - Nasir accuses Pori Moni of misbehaviour, defamation

Later, RAB revealed that a team had gone there to conduct a raid.

Pori Moni has been under the spotlight since she made allegations of attempted rape and murder against a Dhaka businessman.

Requesting to remain unnamed, a RAB official told Dhaka Tribune that several blotting papers for LSD, a hallucinogenic drug, were seized from Pori Moni's residence. 

However, ANM Imran Khan, assistant director of RAB's Legal and Media Wing, said information regarding the raid would be disclosed soon.

He said RAB was conducting another raid at the residence of film producer Nazrul Islam Raj.

Attempted rape case

On June 14, Pori Moni filed a case at Savar police station against businessman and former president of Uttara Club Ltd Nasir U Mahmood, and five others on charges of attempting to rape and murder her.

In the case statement, Pori Moni said that she, costume designer Junayed Karim Jimmy, Omi and her cousin Bonny left for Uttara in two separate cars on the night of June 8. 

Photo shows wine glasses seized from the house of actor Pori Moni during a raid by RAB members on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 | Dhaka Tribune

At one point in the night they arrived at Dhaka Boat Club at Ashulia, where Mahmood and Omi “forced her to drink liquor.”

They started touching her inappropriately, claimed the actress, before adding that when she resisted, they beat her up as well.

However, investigators on June 17 said some of their findings contradicted parts of Pori Moni’s complaint.

Pori accused of vandalizing All Community Club 

All Community Club President KM Alamgir Iqbal on June 16 said: “She [Pori Moni] came to the club late on June 7. At the time, Pori Moni smashed 15 glasses, nine ashtrays and some plates.”

Also Read - Actress Pori Moni names businessman Nasir, 5 others in attempted rape case

Stating that Pori Moni was accompanied by a man and a woman, Alamgir said the actress had entered the club on a member’s reference.

The club president continued: “The administrator and director of our club’s food and beverage department noticed the incident while exiting the club. They told Pori Moni that she was violating club rules and asked her and her companions to leave the club.

“The member who brought them also requested them to leave. But seeing that they were unwilling to comply with his request, he himself left the club premises.”

Then they suddenly became furious and started throwing glasses and ashtrays around, Alamgir said.

The film actor and her companions later left the club after police had been called in, he added.