Chinmoy denied bail in lawyer murder case, verdict on bail petitions in four other cases tomorrow
The High Court has denied bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, in the case over the hacking and beating to death of lawyer Saiful Islam in Chattogram. The court discharged the rule, effectively rejecting his bail petition.
The verdict was delivered today, Sunday, by a High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher.
Meanwhile, the court deferred its decision on Chinmoy’s bail petitions in four other cases involving attacks on police, vandalism of vehicles, and related charges. The same High Court bench fixed Monday for delivering the verdicts on those petitions.
After failing to secure bail in lower courts in five separate cases, Chinmoy filed separate bail petitions with the High Court last year. Following preliminary hearings, the High Court issued rules on 1 September, asking why the petitioner (Chinmoy) should not be granted bail in the cases.
After concluding final hearings on the rules on 7 May, the court fixed today for delivering its verdicts. Accordingly, all five petitions were listed on today’s cause list.
The court today discharged the rule regarding bail in the lawyer Saiful murder case. In the other four cases, the verdicts were deferred until tomorrow.
Lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya represented Chinmoy before the court. Deputy Attorney General Syeda Sazia Sharmin appeared for the state.
Speaking to Prothom Alo after the verdict, lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya said Chinmoy had not been granted bail in the lawyer murder case, as the court discharged the rule. He added that the verdicts on the bail petitions in the other four cases would be delivered tomorrow.
According to Chinmoy’s lawyer, bail petitions had been filed in the High Court in five separate cases involving the killing of lawyer Saiful in Chattogram, attacks on police, vandalism of vehicles, and related incidents.
Earlier, following a police application, the court on 5 May last year showed Chinmoy arrested in the lawyer Saiful murder case. He was later shown arrested in the other cases as well.
Lawyer Saiful was beaten and hacked to death amid clashes surrounding Chinmoy’s bail hearing on 26 November, 2024, in a sedition case over alleged disrespect to the national flag. Following the killing, Saiful’s father, Jamal Uddin, filed a murder case naming 31 accused. In addition, five more cases were filed over attacks on police, obstruction of duty, assaults on lawyers and litigants, and crude bomb explosions.
The sedition case was filed on 31 October, 2024, with Kotwali Police Station by Firoz Khan, then general secretary of the Chandgaon Mohra Ward BNP unit in Chattogram city, against Chinmoy and 19 others. Firoz was later relieved from the BNP. Chinmoy was arrested in Dhaka on 25 November, 2024, in that case and has remained in jail since then.