Dhaka, Jan 19 (IANS) A Bangladesh court on Monday framed charges against 39 people, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, in connection with the alleged murder of Chattogram court lawyer Saiful Islam Alif outside the court premises in November 2024.
Judge Md Jahidul Haque of the Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal indicted all the arrested accused, including Chinmoy, during the proceedings.
Speaking to Bangladesh's leading newspaper, The Daily Star, Assistant Public Prosecutor Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, who is also the complainant's lawyer, said that the court framed charges after hearing arguments from both sides.
"The court framed charges against Chinmoy under Sections 302 and 109 of the Penal Code and brought charges against 22 others under different sections," he stated.
He added that 23 of the 39 accused are currently in custody, while the remaining 16 are absconding.
The law enforcement reportedly deployed extensive security across the court area ahead of Chinmoy's court appearance to prevent any disturbances.
According to the police, around 900 personnel were deployed, along with members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the army.
During the hearing, with his lawyer still on the way, Chinmoy addressed the court himself, seeking further investigation and denying any involvement in Alif's murder, The Daily Star reported.
Reports suggest that lawyer Alif was killed on November 26, 2024, during confrontations outside the Chattogram court premises following the denial of Chinmoy's bail in a sedition case.
Chinmoy was arrested in Dhaka on November 25 2024, and sent to jail the following day after a Chattogram court rejected his bail plea. On December 11, the same court again refused bail in the case.
The arrest of Chinmoy had sparked massive protests by the Hindu community in Bangladesh, a country in political turmoil since August 2024, when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed amidst widespread violent demonstrations.
Bangladesh has witnessed rising cases of attacks on the Hindu community ever since the Hasina-led government was toppled and an interim administration was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus.
India has taken a tough line on the rights of the Hindu minority and repeatedly stated that there is "systematic persecution of Hindu minorities" under the Yunus-led interim government.
--IANS
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