Chinmoy Das bail challenge hearing today: Students protest demanding death sentence
Members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement staged a protest from 10:30am, demanding the cancellation of Chinmoy Krishna Das’s bail and the maximum punishment for him over the death of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif
The Chamber Court of the Appellate Division is scheduled to hear the state's appeal against the bail granted to former Iskcon leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case today (4 May).
Security has been tightened at the Chattogram court premises ahead of the hearing to prevent any potential clashes.
Law enforcement personnel have set up checkpoints at the court entrance, conducting searches and questioning both private vehicle occupants and general litigants.
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Meanwhile, members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement staged a protest from 10:30am, demanding the cancellation of Chinmoy Krishna Das's bail and the maximum punishment for him over the death of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif.
The protest continued for about two hours.
On 30 April, a High Court bench of Justice Atoar Rahman Khan and Justice Ali Reza granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das and made absolute the rule issued regarding his bail.
Later that day, the state filed an appeal with the Chamber Court seeking a stay on the High Court order. That evening, Chamber Justice Md Rezaul Haque stayed the bail. However, the stay was later withdrawn, and the Chamber Court fixed today for a rehearing.
The sedition case against Chinmoy Krishna Das was filed on 31 October last year, following allegations of insulting the national flag.
It came after a large gathering of the Sanatani community, led by Chinmoy, was held in Chattogram on 25 October. He was arrested in Dhaka on 25 November.
On 26 November, a Chattogram court denied him bail and ordered him to jail. A revision petition was then filed, and a fresh bail application submitted.
During this time, Chinmoy's followers were allegedly involved in clashes near the court, during which Advocate Saiful Islam Alif was beaten and hacked to death.
On 2 January, the Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court again rejected Chinmoy's bail application.
A new bail plea was then filed in the High Court by former Deputy Attorney General Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya on Chinmoy's behalf.
