Eight policemen were suspended yesterday on the charges of beating a businessman in the city's Kotwali Police Station on July 17.

The suspended police officials are Md Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge, Shyamol Banik, officer-in-charge (investigation), Ashraful Islam, sub-inspector, Taher, assistant sub-inspector and constables Adhir, Rajib Kumar Das, Azadur Rahman and Nazrul Islam.

The victim, Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury, is also the brother of Abul Kalam Chowdhury, a leader of the ruling Awami League and mayor of Chhatak Pourasabha in Sunamganj district.

The decision was taken by the police headquarters in Dhaka on the basis of a probe committee report of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said Mohammad Rahamat Ullah, additional deputy commissioner of the SMP.

On July 17, police stopped Kamal for violating traffic rules at the city's Mirboksh tola and took him to the police station where they allegedly beat him up. Later, Kamal was admitted to the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

On July 18, SMP commissioner Md Mizanur Rahman formed a four-member probe committee led by Akram Hossain, deputy commissioner of SMP, after Kamal lodged a complaint against the police officers.

The committee submitted the report to the police headquarters on July 26, the official added.

Meanwhile, a High Court bench on July 24 directed the police to record the complaint of Kamal as case. The victim's younger brother Shamim Chowdhury on Thursday filed the writ.

The High Court division bench, comprising Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani, directed the police to record the complainant's FIR as case against the concerned OC and others, informed the SMP Commissioner.

The HC bench also ordered the Human Rights Commission chairman to investigate the incident and file a report in four weeks, the commissioner added.