Bail denied for Chinmoy Das in Alif murder, 4 other cases

Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Bakar Siddique has rejected bail for Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, in five cases filed at Kotwali Police Station, including the murder of advocate Saiful Islam Alif.

The decision was issued on Tuesday, June 3.

According to Assistant Public Prosecutor Advocate Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, defense lawyers submitted bail applications on behalf of Chinmoy Das in all five cases. However, the prosecution opposed the petitions, and after hearing both sides, the court denied bail.

Chinmoy Das was arrested on November 26 last year by the Detective Branch (DB) of Bangladesh Police at Shahjalal International Airport while traveling from Dhaka to Chattogram. He was subsequently presented before the court in a sedition case filed at Kotwali Police Station. The court refused bail and ordered his detention, prompting protests from ISKCON followers.

The protests escalated into violent clashes with law enforcement officers and led to attacks on mosques, shops, and various establishments near the court premises.

Later that afternoon, advocate Saiful Islam was fatally attacked in an alley near Rongom Convention Hall, opposite the court’s main gate, allegedly by a group of ISKCON followers. On November 29, Saiful’s father, Jamal Uddin, filed a murder case at Kotwali Police Station naming 31 suspects. In addition, the police and other victims filed four more related cases at the same police station.