Jailed Hindu Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Denied Bail, Set To Appeal In Bangladesh High Court

Last Updated:January 02, 2025, 11:50 IST

Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested on sedition charges in Bangladesh, was denied bail during a court hearing in the country today. His arrest has sparked concerns over minority rights.

Kolkata: Activists of Hindu Jagaran Mancha participate in a rally to protest over arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das (Photo: PTI)

A Bangladesh court on Thursday rejected bail to former ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested in the country on November 25, 2024. The development came as a bench of 11 lawyers of the Supreme Court participated in Chinmoy Krishna’s bail hearing today.

Following the development, Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu now reportedly plans to approach the High Court, CNN-News18 has learnt.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Kolkata ISCKON vice-president Radha Raman Das, said, “It’s very sad news. We know that the entire world was keeping an eye on this. Everyone was expecting Chinmoy Prabhu will get freedom in the new year – but even after 42 days, his bail was rejected in a hearing today. The Bangladesh government should ensure that he gets justice."

Led by advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, the legal team reportedly defended Chinmoy, in a sedition case resulting from allegations of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag, it stated.

“We have come to Chattogram under the banner of Ainjibi Oikya Parishad, and we will move for Chinmoy in the court for his bail. I already got the Vakalatnama from Chinmoy. I’m a member of both the Supreme Court and Chattogram Bar associations, so I don’t need authorisation from any local lawyer to move the case," lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee had told The Daily Star earlier.

Earlier on December 3, 2024, a court in Bangladesh’s Chittagong had fixed January 2 for bail hearing as the prosecution submitted a time petition and there was no lawyer to represent Chinmoy.

On January 1, ISKCON Kolkata expressed hopes that Chinmoy Krishna Das will receive justice in the court hearing scheduled on Thursday.

ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das said the organisation will hold prayers for Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh on the first day of 2025, as they have been doing over the past month.

“To get justice, the minimum requirement is proper functioning of the legal system," he said, news agency PTI reported.

Chinmay Krishna Das was arrested from Hazrat Shahjalal Airport area of Dhaka in connection with a sedition case filed in Chattogram on November 25.

Bangladesh’s minority Hindus, which constitute only about 8 per cent of the 170 million population, have faced hundreds of attacks in 50-odd districts of the country since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5.

Das had earlier demanded that the interim government in Bangladesh take strong action against the fundamentalists fomenting trouble in that country and arrest them so as to build confidence among the minorities.

News world Jailed Hindu Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Denied Bail, Set To Appeal In Bangladesh High Court