Chattogram lawyer murder: Charges filed against Chinmoy Das, 37 others
The police have submitted a charge sheet naming Chinmoy Das, spokesperson for the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, and 37 others in the case over the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam in Chattogram.
The investigating officer, assistant commissioner of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (Kotwali zone) Mahfuzur Rahman submitted the charge sheet to a court in Chattogram on Tuesday.
Confirming the matter, additional deputy commissioner (prosecution) of Chattogram Mofiz Uddin told Prothom Alo that Chinmoy Das and 37 others have been named in the charge sheet.
On 5 May, the court formally showed Chinmoy as arrested in the lawyer murder case, following a request from the police.
The murder took place on 26 November last year during a clash following a court ruling on Chinmoy Das’ bail petition. During the violence, lawyer Saiful Islam was brutally beaten and hacked to death.
Following the murder, Saiful’s father, Jamal Uddin, filed a murder case naming 31 individuals. Besides, five more cases were filed for attacking police, obstructing government work, assaulting lawyers and justice seekers, and detonating crude bombs.
A total of 51 people were arrested in connection with the six cases, of which 21 are charged directly with involvement in the murder.
According to court sources, among the accused, Chandan Das, Ripon Das, and Rajib Bhattacharya have given confessional statements.
The statements revealed that Ripon Das struck the lawyer on the neck twice with a sharp weapon, while Chandan Das chopped him.
The lawyer, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, was then beaten to death by 15 to 20 individuals using sticks, bricks, and sharp weapons.
The case’s investigating officer, Mahfuzur Rahman, told Prothom Alo that the murder was carried out under Chinmoy Das’ incitement and directives, which is why he has been included as an accused in the case.
Earlier on 31 October last year, Firoz Khan, then general secretary of the BNP’s Chandgaon Mohora ward unit in Chattogram city, filed a sedition case at Kotwali Police Station against Chinmoy Das and 18 others, accusing them of dishonoring the national flag.
Firoz Khan was later relieved of his position in the BNP. Chinmoy Das was arrested in connection with this case on 25 November in Dhaka.