Dhaka: Bangladeshi Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, ex leader of ISKCON, who is currently in prison, has been shown as arrested in a case filed over the murder of a lawyer on the day of his arrest in Chittagong on November 26 last year.
Chittagong’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate SM Alauddin granted the police application during a virtual hearing on Monday.
Earlier, on Sunday, investigating officers submitted applications to show Chinmoy arrested in four cases, including the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, obstruction of police duties, and attacks on lawyers and litigants, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
Among these, the court granted the application for shown arrest in the Alif murder case on Monday after a virtual hearing.
The hearings on the applications for shown arrest in the remaining three cases are scheduled to take place virtually on Tuesday.
Public Prosecutor of the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court Md Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan, told the Tribune: “Investigating officers submitted applications on Sunday to show Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested in four cases. The court today (Monday) granted the shown arrest in the Alif murder case after a virtual hearing. The hearings on the other three applications will be held on Tuesday.”
Chittagong Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (Prosecution) Mofiz Uddin said: “The court has granted the application to show Chinmoy Das arrested in the case concerning the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. This order was passed on Monday following a virtual hearing.”
Chinmoy Das, spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagaran Jote, was earlier arrested in a case of sedition. It followed an event held on October 25, 2024, when a large gathering of the Sanatani community was organised in Chittagong under the leadership of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
On October 31, a sedition case was filed against him, alleging disrespect to the Bangladeshi national flag.
A total of 19 individuals, including Chinmoy, were named in the case.
Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested in Dhaka on November 25, 2024.
On November 26, a Chattogram court sent Chinmoy to jail after rejecting his bail plea in the sedition case. Following the order, his supporters staged a protest, blocking the police prison van.
Police charged with batons to disperse the demonstrators, triggering a violent clash in the court area.
During the unrest, Advocate Alif was beaten and hacked to death amid a clash involving Chinmoy’s supporters, police, and a group of lawyers.
In connection with the incident, police filed three separate cases—on charges of attacking police, vandalism, and obstructing law enforcement duties—naming 79 individuals and accusing around 1,400 unidentified others.
Alif’s father later filed the murder case against 31 individuals, while his brother, Khan-e-Alam, filed another case with Kotwali Police Station, naming 115 accused including 70 lawyers, over vandalism.
Another person, Mohammad Ullah Chowdhury, filed a separate case accusing 69 individuals of attacking him during the clashes outside the court building.
To date, police have arrested 40 individuals in connection with the various cases. Of them, 11—mostly cleaners by profession—were held for their alleged involvement in the lawyer’s murder, based on CCTV footage analysis.
Chinmoy’s bail application was rejected by the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Chittagong on January 2, 2025. Subsequently, he filed a bail petition with the High Court.
On February 4, 2025, the High Court issued a two-week rule asking why he should not be granted bail in the sedition case.
UNI
