“We’re observing the matter. Let’s see what measures the administration takes,” the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Khairul Alam said when lawyer Jamiul Haque Faisal brought to their notice reports published in different newspaper over the matter.

Jamiul told the court that the officer-in-charge (OC) of Pabna Sadar Police Station mediated the marriage between the gang-rape victim and the key accused.

At this stage, the court said the main accused has been detained while a show-cause notice served on the OC.

In reply, the lawyer said different newspapers reported that the victim and the Kazi (Marriage register) were threatened by the OC which can divert the issue to a different direction.

The court asked the lawyer to bring it to their notice again next week if the authorities fail to take proper measures in this regard.

According to newspaper reports, the victim who is a housewife had an extramarital relation with Russel Hossain, a youth from her neighborhood in Shahpur Jasadal village of Pabna Sadar upazila.

On August 29, Russel along with his accomplices- Hossain driver, Shariful Islam Ghantu, Sanju and Osman - abducted the housewife and raped her in turns for three days at different places.

The victim, however, managed to flee and her relatives admitted her to hospital on September 6.

Later, police arrested Russel when the victim lodged a written complaint over the matter. They also arrested Ghantu over the incident.

But the officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station did not record any case and instead married the victim off to Russel at the police station on September 6.

Meanwhile, the OC denied the allegation, saying the woman withdrew the complaint after filing it.

Superintendent of Police of Pabna Sheikh Rafiqul Islam said a probe body has been formed to look into the matter and a show-cause notice issued on the OC.