Ctg court denies bail to Chinmoy

A Chattogram court yesterday denied bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former ISKCON leader, in a sedition case filed over disrespecting the national flag.
Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam rejected the bail plea after hearing arguments from the defence and prosecution for around 30 minutes, Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan told The Daily Star.
After the hearing, Chinmoy's lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee told this correspondent that they plan to appeal to the High Court for his client's bail.
Chinmoy, also spokesperson for Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was not brought before the court.
Lawyer Apurba said, "During the hearing, we told the court that the allegations against Chinmoy are not true. There are no such elements in the case that can prove Chinmoy is guilty.
"We also told the court that permission from the home ministry was not taken before filing the FIR [first information report] with police."
However, Public Prosecutor Mofizul said, "Sedition is a non-bailable offence and it carries a punishmentof life imprisonment. We told the court that the case is being investigated and no report has been submitted yet.
"We opposed the bail petition, presenting our points, and the court denied bail to Chinmoy after hearing our arguments."
The hearing, which began around 11:00am, was held in a packed courtroom amid tight security.
A large number of police, BGB, APBN, DB, and army personnel stood guard in the court building and its adjacent area.
Colleagues of slain lawyer Saiful Islam Alif gathered outside the courtroom to know the update. Police personnel were seen controlling the exit and entry points to the court building. Two additional commissioners of Chattogram Metropolitan Police supervised the security arrangements.
When the court rejected the bail plea, the lawyers who were outside the courtroom brought out a procession, welcoming the decision.
Around 11:40am, a team of 11 Supreme Court lawyers, led by Apurba, who represented Chinmoy during yesterday's hearing, left the court premises in two microbuses with a police escort.

As they were leaving, a section of lawyers chanted slogans such as "Dalal" and demanded justice for Saiful.
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 of the Hindu community on October 25 in the port city's New Market area.
On November 26, a Chattogram court sent Chinmoy to jail, rejecting his bail prayer after he was arrested in the capital the previous day.
Following the rejection, supporters of Chinmoy burst into protests and blocked the prison van on its way to jail. They demanded his immediate release.
Later, police charged truncheons to disperse the agitated followers of Chinmoy, triggering a clash among law enforcers, lawyers, and the supporters in the court building area. Lawyer Saiful was beaten and hacked to death amid the clash.
On December 3, Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam fixed yesterday for the bail hearing for Chinmoy.
Later, an anticipatory bail petition of the ex-ISKCON leader was rejected by the same court on December 11.
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