The Bangladesh High Court on Sunday rejected a bail petition of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is being tried by a lower court in connection with the killing of a lawyer in 2024 during clashes in Chittagong. The incident occurred after Das was denied bail in a sedition case.
Court Proceedings
Das's lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, informed reporters that the two-judge bench comprising Justices KM Zahid Sarwar and Sheikh Abu Taher set Monday for hearing bail petitions related to four other cases against the monk. "HC rejected our bail petition as recording of witnesses' testimony is underway in the trial court in Chittagong," Bhattacharya said.
Background of the Case
Prosecutors earlier stated that 39 people were accused in the murder of junior government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif. Among them, 23 individuals, including Das, are in custody and facing trial, while the remaining 16 are absconding. Das's lawyer sought bail on the grounds that the monk had been languishing in jail for a long time and was suffering from ailments.
Previous Bail Order
On April 30 last year, the High Court granted Das bail in the sedition case, which involved allegations of insulting Bangladesh's national flag. However, the Supreme Court's Appellate Division subsequently stayed that bail order, leaving Das in custody.
