Bangladesh court rejects ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das’ bail plea

Dhaka | A Bangladesh court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu monk and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, also associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), during a hearing held under tight security, local media reported.

Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam rejected the bail plea after hearing arguments from both sides for around 30 minutes, said Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Advocate Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan to The Daily Star.

As many as 11 Supreme Court lawyers, led by Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, represented the ISKCON priest in the high-profile sedition case.

Following the hearing, Chinmoy’s lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, said that they plan to appeal to the High Court for bail.

Arrested on November 25 from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on sedition charges, Das has remained in jail amid growing calls for justice.

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The charges, filed against Das and 18 others, were linked to the hoisting of a saffron flag above the country's official flag during a protest rally on October 25 in Chattogram's Laldighi Maidan.

The bail petition, supported by 20 advocates from Dhaka and Chittagong, highlights allegations of a false and fabricated case. Advocates argue that Das, suffering from health issues such as diabetes and respiratory problems, is being unjustly detained. His primary lawyer, Ravindra Ghosh, was previously barred from filing an anticipatory bail petition.

Earlier on December 11, a Bangladesh court rejected Das' initial bail plea, citing procedural lapses. Reports indicate that the absence of a valid power of attorney and lawyer representation led to the rejection.

The case took another turn when Subhashish Sharma, one of Das' lawyers, missed a December 3 hearing due to security concerns.

Prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan stated that the absence of proper documentation and legal representation hindered earlier proceedings.

Meanwhile, India has called for a fair and transparent trial, emphasising the need to respect the legal rights of all involved.

Advocates and supporters are hopeful that the court will consider the monk's deteriorating health and the procedural irregularities that have plagued the case so far.

IANS

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