The Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court has rejected the bail petition of Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson of the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, in five separate cases, including the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam, who was beaten and hacked to death.
The order was issued on Thursday, 24 July, by Judge Md Hasanul Islam following hearings from both prosecution and defence. Heightened security measures were deployed around the Chattogram court premises during the bail hearing.
Background of the Bail Applications
| Date | Court & Decision | Notes |
| 3 June | Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Bakar Siddique’s Court | First bail plea rejected |
| 24 July | Chattogram Sessions Judge Court | Appeal of the previous rejection also dismissed |
Chinmoy Das remains in judicial custody, facing five separate cases filed with Kotwali Police Station, involving murder, vandalism, and attacks on police.
Legal Standpoints
- Prosecution (Govt. Counsel Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan): Opposed bail, citing the gravity of the offences.
- Defence (Lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya): Argued Chinmoy’s name was not in the original FIR, claiming he was later implicated as part of a conspiracy. The court was informed that Chinmoy suffers from liver cirrhosis.
Developments in Lawyer Saiful Islam’s Murder Case
| Date | Incident or Development |
| 1 July | Charge sheet filed against 38 individuals by police. Chinmoy Das was named for inciting the murder. |
| 5 May | Court authorised Chinmoy’s arrest in connection with Saiful’s murder based on a police application. |
| 26 November | Saiful Islam was murdered in broad daylight on the court premises amid clashes during Chinmoy’s bail hearing. |
| 31 October (2023) | FIR filed by BNP leader Firoz Khan accusing Chinmoy and 18 others of treason for insulting the national flag. |
| 25 November | Chinmoy Das arrested in Dhaka in connection with the treason case. |
| Ongoing | Chinmoy has been shown arrested in multiple related cases since. |
Confessions & Arrests
According to court sources, Chandan Das, Ripon Das, and Rajib Bhattacharya — co-accused in the lawyer murder case — have already given confessional statements under Section 164.
Total Arrests and Cases Filed
In connection with the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam and subsequent violence, police have filed a total of six cases covering:
- Murder
- Assault on police
- Obstruction of government duties
- Assault on lawyers and litigants
- Explosion of crude bombs (cocktails)
A total of 51 individuals have so far been arrested across these cases.
