A Chattogram court has denied bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, in a sedition case.聽
The order was passed on Thursday by Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Saiful Islam, said Nesar Ahmed, Nazir of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court.聽
Nazir Nesar Ahmed said that the bail hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das was scheduled for 10:30am. On his behalf 11 Supreme Court lawyers appeared. The proceedings began at 11:30am.
Chinmoy was not physically produced in the court on the day. The bail hearing was conducted with his virtual participation. Following the hearing, the court dismissed the bail petition.
After the hearing was over , around 100 lawyers staged a protest against those representing Chinmoy. Amid the situation, Chinmoy鈥檚 legal team was escorted out of the court premises in a microbus under police protection.聽
Chinmoy鈥檚 lawyer, former Deputy Attorney General Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya said, 鈥楾he state failed to substantiate the charges. The accusation of insulting the national flag is baseless as the flag in question was not the national flag. We argued that this case is baseless and cannot proceed. Despite this, bail was denied. We will now approach the High Court.鈥�
Security was significantly tightened around the court from the early hours of the day. Access to the court premises was restricted with only important vehicles allowed entry. Police, army personnel, and Rapid Action Battalion members were deployed to maintain order.聽
Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former organiser of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and spokesperson of Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 25. The arrest was made in connection with a sedition case filed with the Kotwali police in Chattogram.
He was produced before the Chattogram court the following morning. After his bail plea was rejected, chaos erupted as his followers protested outside the court. When the police attempted to take him to jail, demonstrators clashed with law enforcers, prompting the police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel to baton charge and fire sound grenades.聽
The violent clash escalated from the Laldighi area to the Kotwali police neighbourhood when lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was attacked and killed by unidentified assailants. At least 37 others, including 10 police personnel, sustained injuries during the clash.
Six cases were filed so far over the incidents centring the lawyer murder.
Charges in these cases include, among others, obstructing government officers from performing duty and vandalism.
Of the six cases, three have been filed by the police, victim families filed two cases, and a businessman filed the rest one. Altogether 40 people have been arrested in connection with the killing.
