The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a High Court order granting bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in a sedition case over alleged desecration of the national flag.
Chamber judge Justice Md Rezaul Haque passed the order after hearing a provisional leave-to-appeal petition filed by the state challenging the High Court鈥檚 April 30 order allowing bail to Chinmoy, also the spokesperson of Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote.
The chamber judge also instructed the state to file a regular petition seeking permission to appeal.
The stay will remain in force until such an appeal is filed.
Earlier in the morning, the court of Chattohram metropolitan magistrate SM Alauddin Mahmud allowed the police to show the former ISKCON leader arrested in four more cases, said assistant public prosecutor Md Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury said.
Raihanul said that the investigating officers in the cases had earlier filed petitions with the court to show Chinmoy arrested in connection with three cases filed by the police and one case filed by the brother of slain advocate Saiful Islam Alif in connection with the incidents on Chattogram court premises on November 26, 2024.
鈥楩or security reasons and considering the overall situation, Chinmoy was produced before the court virtually from jail during the hearing,鈥� he said.
On Monday, the same court allowed the police to show Chinmoy arrested in lawyer Saiful Islam Alif murder case.
Security was beefed up at both Chattogram court premises and in front of Chattogram jail on the occasion of the hearing.
Senior lawyer MK Rahman, representing Chinmoy, told the Appellate Division chamber judge on Tuesday that the sedition charge was unwarranted and not sustainable under the law.
He argued that, at most, the allegation may constitute a violation of the Flag Rules, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, a term for which Chinmoy had already served six months behind bars.
Additional attorney general Aneek R Haque opposed the bail, citing serious law and order concerns that arose following Chinmoy鈥檚 initial bail denial by a Chattogram court.
He informed the court that the bail rejection triggered violent clashes on the court premises, resulting in the death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.
Chinmoy was arrested by the police at Dhaka airport on November 25, 2024 in connection with the sedition case filed on October 31.
The case accuses him and 18 others of dishonouring the national flag during a religious programme in Chattogram.
A Chattogram metropolitan magistrate court rejected his bail prayer and sent him to jail the following day.
Violent protests broke out on the court premises following his bail rejection on November 26, 2024 when Chinmoy鈥檚 followers reportedly armed with machetes and sticks clashed with the police and lawyers, leaving lawyer Saiful dead and several others injured.
