The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a High Court order granting interim bail to former additional attorney general Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury in the case of the killing of garment worker Md Rubel during the recent student-mass uprising.
The killing occurred in the capital鈥檚 Adabar area on August 5 during the student-led mass uprising.
A six-member bench, led by chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, issued the stay following a petition filed by the state challenging the High Court鈥檚 decision, which had granted Mehedi bail on Wednesday.
It also directed the state to file a regular petition seeking permission to appeal against the High Court decision that granted Mehedi bail.
Appearing on behalf of the state, additional attorneys general Aneek R Haque and Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan argued that Mehedi faced serious allegations, including justifying the firing publicly and the use of force against protesting students.
This, Aneek argued, was contrary to a High Court directive issued during the protests, which instructed law enforcers to adhere to established rules while managing demonstrations.
Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman also opposed the bail, warning that its approval could set a precedence, which might allow other suspects in the protest-related violence to walk free.
The allegations against Mehedi stem from the killing of 18-year-old Rubel on August 5.
Mehedi, along with 156 high-profile individuals, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates, was accused of conspiring in the incident.
The student-mass uprising ousted the Awami League regime and the overthrown prime minister and AL president Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5.
Mehedi was arrested by the police at a location in Jhenaidah town on September 10.
Subsequently, he was shown as arrested in the murder case filed by Rubel鈥檚 father, Rafiqul Islam, with the Adabar police station on October 10.
Defending his client, senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna told the Appellate Division that the High Court had granted bail as there was no specific allegation directly linking Mehedi to Rubel鈥檚 murder.
