Chinmoy Das denied bail again in lawyer Alif murder case in Chattogram

A Chattogram court today (20 August) again rejected a bail petition filed by Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former ISKCON leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagran Jote, in the sensational lawyer Saiful Islam Alif murder case.

Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Fazle Khoda Mohammad Nazir passed the order after recording the testimony of the prosecution’s third witness Advocate Faridul Alam.

After testifying, Faridul was cross-examined by the defence lawyers.

Chinmoy Das appeared virtually in the hearing, while the other accused were produced before the court amid tight security.

During the hearing, two separate petitions were filed for Chinmoy Das. One sought his bail, while the other requested additional time to cross-examine the third prosecution witness. After arguments from both sides, the tribunal rejected the petitions.

Advocate Md Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, the plaintiff’s lawyer and the court’s assistant public prosecutor, expressed concern that the interrogation has been delayed multiple times at the request of the defence lawyers.

He said Chinmoy Das’s lawyers had sought adjournments at least six times to cross-examine the victim’s father, who is the first prosecution witness. Similarly, the cross-examination of the second witness had not yet been completed and the defence again sought more time for the third witness today.

Apprentice lawyer Alif was brutally hacked to death on 26 November 2024 after violence erupted on the premises of Chattogram court following the rejection of Chinmoy Das’s bail petition in a sedition case.

Later, the victim’s father Jamal Uddin filed a murder case with the city’s Kotwali police station against 31 unidentified people.

Police subsequently filed a chargesheet against 39 people, including Chinmoy Das. The trial began on 19 January this year, when the court formally framed charges against all 39 accused.