Former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari yesterday got bail from the High Court after 156 days in jail in a sedition case filed on charges of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag.

However, Justice Md Rezaul Haque, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division, stayed the bail moments later following a petition filed by additional attorneys general Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek R Haque on behalf of the state.

Later on, the apex court chamber judge withdrew the stay order on a suo moto (voluntary move), Chinmoy's lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza granted the bail after a hearing on a rule that earlier asked the state to explain why he should not be granted bail in the case.

Senior lawyers ZI Khan Panna, Prabir Ranjon Halder and Bhattacharjee placed arguments before the HC saying that their client is innocent as there is no specific allegation against him.

The police are yet to submit any report in the case against Chinmor, who is ill, Bhattacharjee said, adding that there is no ingredient of offence brought against him in the first information report.

Meanwhile, Haque vehemently opposed the bail petition as Chinmoy, born Chandan Kumar Dhar, can interfere in the investigation proceedings if released from jail.

There is also a possibility of Chinmoy fleeing if released as he was absconding before arrest, he said.

Additional Attorney General Md Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan and Deputy Attorney General Farid Uddin Khan also appeared for the state during the hearing.

On October 31 last year, Firoz Khan, former general secretary of Chattogram's Mohora ward BNP, filed the case with Kotwali Police Station accusing Chinmoy and 18 others of disrespecting the national flag during a rally six days earlier in the port city's New Market area.

On November 26 last year, a Chattogram court sent Chinmoy to jail, rejecting his bail prayer after he was arrested in the capital the previous day.

When Chinmoy Das was produced before a court that day, a clash ensued between his followers with the police and lawyers and Saiful Islam Alif, a lawyer practising at the Chittagong Court, was killed in the melee.

On January 12, Bhattacharjee submitted the petition on behalf of Chinmoy to the HC.

The HC bench on February 4 issued the rule asking the state to explain in two weeks why the accused should not be granted bail in the case.