A Chattogram court has ordered that former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari be officially shown as arrested in the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. The order was issued today (May 5) by Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate SM Alauddin after a virtual court appearance by Chinmoy, according to media reports.
Police had submitted petitions to show Chinmoy arrested in four cases, including Alif’s murder, obstruction of police duties, and attacks on lawyers and litigants. While the hearing on the Alif murder case petition took place today, hearings for the other three petitions are scheduled for tomorrow.
Chinmoy has been in custody for five months following a sedition case filed on October 31, 2024, over allegations of insulting the national flag. The charges stemmed from a large Sanatani community gathering led by Chinmoy in Chattogram on October 25, after which he was arrested in Dhaka on November 25.
Although the High Court granted Chinmoy bail on April 30, the state quickly appealed, and the Chamber Court initially stayed the bail. That stay was later withdrawn, but a rehearing planned for May 4 was postponed due to a Supreme Court half-day closure to honor the late senior lawyer MI Faruki.
The murder case developed after violent clashes involving Chinmoy’s followers near the court, during which lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was beaten and hacked to death. Chinmoy’s previous bail applications were rejected multiple times by lower courts before the High Court intervened.