Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 3 : ISKCON Kolkata Vice President Radharaman on Tuesday urged the Bangladesh government to provide security to the advocate of Chinmoy Krishna Das citing the recent attack on his previous advocate.
Reportedly, Chinmoy Krishna Das's previous advocate Raman Roy is currently in serious condition in hospital intensive care unit after being attacked.
Speaking to ANI, Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata said, "We hope that Chinmoy Krishna Das will get justice today. We have seen that he is in jail for a long time. We have got information that his previous advocate Raman Roy was attacked and is in the ICU in serious condition. We request the Bangladesh government to provide security to the advocate of Chinmoy Krishna Das...We have no information on how is he being treated in the jail. We hope that he will describe his situation today when he reaches the court. We are concerned about his health and security."
Meanwhile, a Bangladesh court today set January 2, 2025, as the next hearing date for Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Das stating tha he will remain in jail on alleged sedition charges until then.
The Daily Star Bangladesh reported that the Chattogram court deferred to January 2 the hearing on the bail petition of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam set the new date for the hearing as the defence lawyer was absent from the court.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police's Additional Deputy Commissioner (Prosecution) Mofizur Rahman later confirmed this information to Bangladesh media.
Earlier, police ramped up security at the court premises ahead of the 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.
Chinmoy Krishna Das who is associated with the Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested in Dhaka on November 25. The arrest followed a complaint filed on October 31 by a local politician that accused Chinmoy Das and others of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag during a rally of the Hindu community.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly criticised Das' arrest and the denial of his bail. The arrest has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for his immediate release.
ISKCON had earlier expressed solidarity with Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested on charges of sedition for allegedly raising a flag on a stand displaying Bangladesh's national flag. In a post on X, ISKCON, Inc. stated, "ISKCON, Inc. stands with Chinmoy Krishna Das. Our prayers to Lord Krishna for the protection of all these devotees. "
ISKCON has further claimed that Bangladesh authorities have arrested two monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, and the secretary of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Earlier, in another concerning development, a petition was also filed by a lawyer demanding a ban on ISKCON in Bangladesh, calling it a "radical organization" engaging in activities designed to provoke communal unrest, as reported by the local media.
The petition in Bangladesh has alleged that ISKCON has been promoting religious events with the intent of inciting sectarian violence, imposing its beliefs on traditional Hindu communities, and forcibly recruiting members from lower Hindu castes.