Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das who had been detained by Bangladesh authorities on charges of sedition is now getting deeply embroiled in legal troubles. Das has failed to get any relief from the Bangladesh courts, and his bail hearing was also postponed due to the unavailability of any lawyer to represent him. Chinmoy Krishna Das’s next bail hearing has been scheduled for January 2, 2025.

Das had earlier been detained by the Bangladesh authorities on ‘sedition’ charges. The Bangladesh police had ramped up security at the court premises ahead of his hearing. Additional police patrols were seen at various points of the court area. A group of lawyers were also seen bringing out a procession. However, the accused was not produced in the court, reported the Daily Star.

Das was presented before a Chattogram court earlier on Tuesday where his bail plea was denied, leading to his remand in custody. The Bangladeshi authorities have also ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of Das and 17 other individuals associated with ISKCON.

Meanwhile, ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) the organization Das had been associated with has claimed that a Bangladeshi lawyer who was appointed to defend Das was attacked by Islamists at home and is currently in the ICU. As other lawyer refused to appear for him, Chattogram court deferred to January 2 the hearing on the bail petition of Chinmoy Krishna Das. The Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam set the new date for the hearing as the defence lawyer was absent from the court.

ISKCON’s response

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Kolkata has also appealed to the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of lawyers willing to represent Das. The organisation’s vice-president Radharamn Das said that no new lawyer has come forward to represent Chinmoy Krishna following the attack on Roy, citing safety concerns.

“No new lawyer has come up to fight his case till now. Those who want to fight the case are afraid that they might face the same consequences as Ramen Roy. We would request the Bangladesh government to provide the lawyers who are willing to fight the case with adequate safety and security,” he said.
“It must be ensured that such targeted attacks are dealt with sternly. The situation is deeply alarming and highlights the hostile environment faced by those supporting justice for minorities in Bangladesh,” he added.

Radharamn Das also said that Roy was attacked for being legal defense for Das. He also said that his home was ransacked , “leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life”. “Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only ‘fault’ was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life.

Who is Krishna Das

Das is serving as the spokesperson of Sanatan Jagoran Mancha. He is known as “Chinmoy Prabhu” to Sanatan religious people. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is the spokesperson of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagoran Mancha and Principal of Pundarik Dham. He has been leading a staunch defence of Hindus and has been constantly questioning the Bangladesh government for their indifference to the pleas of the Hindu community, which has been under attack by radical Islamist mobs.

He has held huge rallies to unify the Hindus of Bangladesh held in the name of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagoran Mancha. In the rally, Chinmoy Krishna Das frequently accosted the Yunus regime for letting radical mobs ransack, loot and attack Hindu monasteries and temples in Bangladesh.

Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 27 and charged for sedition. He and 18 others are accused of hoisting a saffron flag above the Bangladeshi national flag during a rally on October 25 at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram