Lawyer Murder Case | May 5, 2025 —Former ISKCON spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, already entangled in multiple legal battles, finds himself in deeper trouble after a Chattogram court ordered his formal arrest in connection with the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.
The development comes months after Das was initially detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25, 2024, over a sedition case involving alleged defamation of the Bangladeshi national flag.
Murder Case Sparks New Warrant
On Monday, Metropolitan Magistrate SM Alauddin issued an arrest order during a virtual court hearing, following a petition submitted by local police. Chattogram Additional Deputy Commissioner Mafiz Uddin confirmed that the court had accepted the police plea to formally show Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested in the lawyer’s murder case.
“He was shown arrested in the murder case of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif under a court order,” said Mafiz Uddin, addressing media after the hearing.
According to public prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan, police had submitted requests to implicate Das in four separate cases. However, the court granted permission in only one — the high-profile murder of Alif, a government-appointed assistant public prosecutor in Chattogram.
A Controversial Figure Behind Bars
Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu monk and former ISKCON leader, has been under the legal spotlight since late 2024. His arrest had sparked nationwide protests, particularly from the Hindu minority, who saw the action as religiously motivated and politically charged.
During one of these tense protest events in Chattogram, Advocate Saiful Islam Alif was brutally hacked to death outside the court premises. While the circumstances of the murder remain under investigation, Das’ name has now been linked officially to the incident.
High Court Bail Stayed, New Arrest Prevents Release
Just last week, a High Court bench granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, offering a brief glimmer of hope to his supporters. However, the Appellate Division’s Chamber Judge Rezaul Haque promptly stayed the bail order after a state-led appeal.
The stay will remain in force until the filing of a leave-to-appeal petition and the release of the full judgment text.
Speaking on behalf of Das, lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee criticized the move, calling it a deliberate tactic to prevent his client’s release.
“In order to prevent Chinmoy Prabhu from being released, even after being granted bail by the High Court, he was shown arrested in the Chattogram court,” Bhattacharjee told ANI.
Growing Tensions in Bangladesh’s Minority Community
This fresh arrest order has once again rattled the Hindu community in Bangladesh, already reeling from recent attacks and looting incidents. Over 100 homes were reportedly ransacked in Hindu-dominated areas, leading to widespread condemnation from minority rights groups.
Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has also expressed concern over the government’s lack of transparency and “glaring gaps” in reports on attacks against minorities.
As legal and political tensions escalate, the case of Chinmoy Krishna Das continues to draw national and international attention.
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