Chinmoy Arrested in Lawyer Murder Case

Controversial organizer Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who is currently in prison in a sedition case, has been officially arrested in the murder case of Chittagong's prominent lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.The 6th Metropolitan Magistrate of the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, SM Alauddin, issued this order on Monday (May 5) afternoon. The court issued this order after a hearing based on an application by the Kotwali Police, the investigating agency in the case.

Chinmoy Krishna Das is currently serving a prison sentence in a sedition case. Due to security considerations, he was not produced in court but was added to the hearing from the Chittagong Central Jail via virtual means.

Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury told reporters in this regard,

"The police applied to show Chinmoy's arrest as evidence of his involvement in the investigation into the lawyer Alif murder case was found. The court granted it after the hearing."

Four cases against Chinmoy
A total of four cases have been filed against Chinmoy Krishna Das at the Chittagong Kotwali Police Station. One of them is a case of brutally hacking and beating to death lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.

The other three cases include—

Attack on police,

Creating violence in the court premises,

Allegations of attack on justice seekers.

The hearing of the lawyer Alif murder case was held in a virtual court on Monday. The hearing of the remaining three cases will be held on Tuesday.

Background of the arrest
On the night of November 25, 2023, a team of the Detective Branch (DB) arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das from Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport. He is known as the expelled organizer of 'ISKCON' and the spokesperson of the controversial organization 'Sanatani Jagran Jote'.

The day after his arrest, on November 26, when he was produced in the Chittagong court, the judge ordered him to be sent to jail. Immediately after the verdict was announced, terrible violence broke out in the court premises. Chinmoy's followers blocked the prison van for a long time.

At that time, they clashed with the police. The police and the BGB jointly used lathicharge and sound grenades to bring the law and order situation under control.

Lawyer killed in that violence
A sensational incident occurred in the midst of the violence—lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was brutally hacked to death outside the Chittagong court area, on the banks of the Laldighi.

Alif's father Jamal Uddin filed a murder case at the Kotwali police station, naming 31 people and accusing many others unknown. Investigation revealed that Chinmoy's followers carried out the attack.

Dramatic suspension of bail
After the incident, Chinmoy's bail order in the sedition case was granted by the Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Court, but it was dramatically suspended on the orders of the higher court. As a result, he is currently in Chittagong Central Jail and is being shown being arrested one by one in various cases.

There is extreme anger among the legal community over this murder and the violent attacks by Chinmoy's followers. Lawyers in Chittagong have already demanded that charges be framed against Chinmoy and the trial process begin quickly.