‘RMG worker killing’: SC stays HC bail of journo Rupa, Shakil

The Supreme Court chamber judge has stayed a High Court order that granted bail to Shakil Ahmed, former head of news at Ekattor Television, and Farzana Rupa, its principal correspondent, in the garment worker Rubel murder case during the uprising.

Justice Md Rezaul Haque, chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, passed the order on Tuesday after a petition was filed by the state challenging the HC bail order.

The judge also sent the state's petition to its full bench for hearing on the matter on February 10, Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque told The Daily Star yesterday.

The additional attorney general added that the HC order that granted bail to the journalist couple will be stayed until further order of the Appellate Division.

Lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub appeared as the senior counsel for the accused during hearing.

The journalist couple were arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 21 last year while leaving the country.

On January 20, the HC granted them bail in the murder case.

Rubel's father Rafiqul Islam lodged the case with Adabor Police Station on August 22 last year, naming former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, and 146 others.

According to the case statement, the accused were involved in the attack on hundreds of students, including Rubel, who were protesting on Ring Road in the capital's Adabor area on August 5.

Rubel sustained critical bullet wounds and died from his injuries two days later, the case statement said.

On August 26, a Dhaka court put the journalist couple, who had been shown arrested in the case, on remand. They were sent to jail in the case on August 31.