Chinmoy Krishna Das granted bail in 2 cases, remains behind bars
The Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson is facing six criminal cases, including a murder case over lawyer Saiful Islam's death and a sedition case in which his bail remains stayed.
The High Court today (2 August) granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, suspended ISKCON leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagran Jote, in two criminal cases involving allegations of attempted murder, vandalism, assault and obstruction of public officials.
A High Court bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order after disposing of a rule issued earlier over his bail petitions.
However, Chinmoy will not be released from jail immediately as he remains detained in other pending cases, his lawyers said.
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The High Court had issued the rule on 1 September 2025 seeking an explanation as to why Chinmoy should not be granted bail in the two cases. After completing hearings on 26 July, the court fixed today for delivering its order.
Advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya appeared for Chinmoy, while Deputy Attorney General Syeda Sazia Sharmin represented the state.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Bhattacharya said Chinmoy is facing six criminal cases. Of these, the murder case over the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam is currently under trial before a tribunal, while his bail in the sedition case remains stayed.
He said the High Court has now granted bail in two of the remaining four cases, while hearings on bail petitions in the other two cases are scheduled for 16 August.
Chinmoy was arrested in Dhaka on 25 November 2024 in a sedition case filed over allegations of disrespecting the national flag.
The case was filed with Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram on 31 October 2024 by Firoz Khan, then general secretary of the BNP's Mohra ward unit in the city. Khan was later removed from his party post.
Violence broke out in Chattogram on 26 November 2024 during court proceedings over Chinmoy's bail hearing in the sedition case, when lawyer Saiful Islam was beaten and hacked to death.
The incident led to several cases, including a murder case and others over attempted murder, attacks, obstruction of public officials, assaults on lawyers and litigants, and the explosion of cocktail bombs.
