Popular singer Asif Akbar has been cleared of a case related to the alleged possession of foreign liquor, bringing an end to a legal matter that had been ongoing for several years.
The verdict was delivered on Monday by Judge Ayesha Akhter Mousumi of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court in Dhaka. The court found insufficient grounds to hold the musician guilty and formally acquitted him. Asif Akbar was present during the proceedings when the decision was announced.
The case dates back to June 2018, when law enforcement officers detained the singer from the office of Arab Entertainment in the Panthapath area. During the operation, authorities reported recovering four bottles of imported tequila from the premises. The bottles were later sent to the Department of Narcotics Control for examination.
More than a year later, in July 2019, investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) initiated legal action, accusing the singer of keeping foreign liquor without the required licence. A charge sheet was subsequently submitted in October of the same year.
The trial process moved forward after the court formally framed charges in November 2024. Following the testimony of three witnesses and the completion of legal arguments, the court delivered its final judgement this week, ultimately ruling in favour of the singer.
