Asif Akbar Proclaims Innocence in Drug Case

Popular singer and BCB director Asif Akbar has formally declared his innocence in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act, in which he faces allegations 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 following the conclusion of the argument hearing. The prosecution’s lawyer, Additional Public Prosecutor Mohammad Waliul Islam Tushar, confirmed that the court will deliver its judgment on that date.

During the proceedings, Inspector Shahinul Islam of the CID Police and SI Jamal Uddin, the case’s investigating officer, provided testimony before the court. Following the witness examination, Asif Akbar submitted his defence, reiterating that he is innocent.

Earlier, the complainant, Sub-Inspector Prashanta Kumar Sikdar of the CID Cyber Investigation Branch, gave evidence on 15 February. In total, three witnesses have testified in the case so far.

Case Timeline and Key Details

According to the case record, 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 examination.

Following the liquor seizure, a formal complaint was lodged on 23 July 2018 by SI Prashanta Kumar Sikdar, citing that Asif possessed the liquor without a proper licence. After a detailed investigation, SI Jamal Hossain filed the charge sheet on 13 November 2019.

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 commence. Prosecutor Tushar stated, “The case was sent to our court for trial on 20 March last year. We have conducted testimony from three witnesses, and the allegations against the accused have been substantiated to a considerable extent.”

The upcoming verdict will determine whether Asif Akbar is convicted or acquitted under the Narcotics Control Act, with a maximum sentence of seven years if found guilty. The court proceedings have attracted widespread public and media attention, given the celebrity status of the accused.