The Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Court has rejected bail petitions filed in five separate cases by Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatan Jagran.
Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Md Abu Bakar Siddik passed the order on Tuesday afternoon following a hearing conducted, said assistant public prosecutor Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury.
鈥楾he defence counsel sought bail in five cases, including the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif and after a hearing, the court rejected bail in all the five cases,鈥� said APP Raihanul.
The cases include the murder of lawyer Alif, three cases filed by police under charges of vandalism, assault, and the Explosives Act in connection with incidents on November 26 last year, and another case filed by Alif鈥檚 brother Khane Alam.
鈥榃e opposed bail on behalf of the state during the hearing,鈥� APP Raihanul said,
鈥楬e was already in police custody when most of these incidents occurred,鈥� lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, representing Chinmoy said, adding that the High Court had earlier made a rule absolute in a sedition case against Chinmoy Krishna and he was shown arrested in these new cases a day after that.
Apurba also said that Chinmoy Krishna was suffering from severe liver cirrhosis and urgently needed medical treatment.
He also said that they informed the court of his critical condition, but the court denied bail.聽 On October 25, 2024, Chinmoy led a large gathering of the Hindu community in Chattogram.
On October 31, 2024, a sedition case was filed against 19 people, including Chinmoy, on charges of desecrating the national flag.
On November 22, Chinmoy led another large rally in Rangpur following which he was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25 in a sedition case.
A Chattogram court the following day rejected his bail petition, sending him to jail.
The court鈥檚 decision sparked clashes between his followers and the members of the law enforcement agencies on the court premises.
At one stage of the clash, lawyer Saiful was hacked to death outside the court premises.
Several cases were filed against Chinmoy and others following Saiful鈥檚 killing.
On April 30, the High Court granted bail to Chinmoy in the sedition case, but the Appellate Division later cancelled the bail.
