The Supreme Court today stayed till further order a High Court verdict that asked the government to suspend four police personnel for their negligence in taking appropriate action the incident of gang rape and torture in Noakhali's Begumganj.

The incident took place in Begumganj upazila's Eklashpur union on September 2, 2020. Footage of the incident went viral on social media in the first week of October the same year.

Today, Justice Obaidul Hassan, chamber judge of the Appellate Division, passed the stay order following a petition filed by the four police personnel challenging the HC verdict.

The apex court also sent the stay petition to its full bench for hearing on the matter on November 28. 

On October 28, the HC ordered the government to suspend Begumganj Police Station's then officer-in-charge Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, then sub-inspector Habibur Rahman, then assistant sub-inspector Mafizul Islam, and Ali Asgar, member of village police of the area, for their negligence.

It ordered departmental actions against them.

Lawyer Md Momtazuddin Fakir appeared for the police personnel.