A Chattogram court on Tuesday (May 6) ordered that Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari be shown arrested in four separate cases, including one for obstructing police duties.

Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate SM Alauddin issued the order following a hearing in which Das appeared virtually from jail.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Md Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury told Banglanews that police had submitted petitions requesting that Das be formally shown arrested in connection with four cases filed with Kotwali Police Station. 

The charges include obstructing law enforcement, assaulting lawyers and court-goers, and involvement in clashes that erupted in November last year.

No defence lawyer was present on Das’s behalf during the hearing. Attempts to contact his counsel, Subhashish Sharma, were unsuccessful.

Security was heightened around the court premises and Chattogram Central Jail ahead of the virtual hearing.

Das was previously arrested in a sedition case and denied bail on November 26, 2023. Following the court’s decision, clashes broke out between his followers and law enforcement outside the court. 

Police and members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) used batons and sound grenades to disperse the crowd.

During the violence, a lawyer named Saiful Islam was killed near the Rangam Community Centre. 

His father later filed a murder case naming 31 individuals. In total, six cases were filed in connection with the incident, including charges of murder, violence, and use of explosives. 

At least 51 individuals have been arrested, 21 of them accused in the murder case.

Das remains in custody while investigations continue.

SMS/