A Chittagong court on Thursday rejected the bail petition of ISKCON monk and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagaran Jote, Chinmoy Krishna Das, labelling him an accused in a sedition case.
Despite being represented by a team of 11 lawyers from the Bangladesh Supreme Court, led by Apurba Bhattacharya, the magistrate turned down their plea for bail. The court reminded the defence that sedition charges in Bangladesh carry a potential life sentence.
“We will move the high court in Dhaka to challenge the rejection of Das’s bail,” said Hindol Nandy, one of the monk’s lawyers, speaking to News Arena India.
The lawyers arrived in Chittagong on Wednesday evening, with the interim Bangladesh government providing them police escort to reach their guest house.
“Unlike previous occasions, this time we were allowed to appear on behalf of Das. The local police escorted us to the court so that we could represent Das during the hearing,” Nandy added.
Das, arrested on November 25 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, has been in custody since then. He faces sedition charges amid increasing calls for justice.
Previously, Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Rabindra Ghosh had been barred from filing a bail petition for Das by local lawyers in Chittagong, who supported the monk’s arrest. On December 11, a Bangladesh court had also rejected Das’s bail plea, citing procedural lapses.
The sedition charges stemmed from an incident on October 25, during a rally organised by the Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, where the monk was actively involved.
A saffron flag was hoisted above the Bangladesh national flag on the Independence Pillar at Zero Point in Dhaka. The act was viewed as a disrespect to the national flag, which is considered sedition.
On November 22, Das also addressed a gathering in Rangpur division, protesting the increasing violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, including attacks on their residences, religious places, and businesses.
Das was arrested while travelling from Dhaka to Chittagong on November 25.
