Dhaka: A court in Bangladesh has denied bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu monk and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, affiliated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The decision came during a tightly secured hearing on Thursday. Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam rejected the bail request after nearly 30 minutes of arguments from both parties, reported Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Advocate Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan to The Daily Star.
Das’ defense team, consisting of 11 Supreme Court lawyers led by Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, plans to appeal the ruling in the High Court. Das was arrested on November 25 at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on sedition charges. He remains in custody amid increasing calls for justice.
The sedition charges involve Das and 18 others, stemming from hoisting a saffron flag over the national flag during a protest on October 25 at Chattogram’s Laldighi Maidan. The bail petition, supported by 20 advocates from Dhaka and Chittagong, claims the case against him is fabricated. His lawyers argue that Das suffers from serious health issues, including diabetes and respiratory problems, and should not be detained unjustly. Previously, his main lawyer, Ravindra Ghosh, was blocked from filing an anticipatory bail request.
This is not the first denial of bail for Das; a earlier request on December 11 was rejected due to procedural issues, including the lack of a valid power of attorney and legal representation. A subsequent hearing was disrupted when one of Das’ lawyers could not attend due to security concerns, further complicating the case.
Prosecutor Bhuiyan indicated that the absence of proper legal documentation impacted the proceedings. Meanwhile, India has called for a fair and transparent trial, emphasizing the importance of respecting the legal rights of all parties involved. Supporters and advocates hope that the court will account for Das’ health condition and the procedural irregularities present in the case.