Bangladesh High Court grants Chinmoy Das bail in two more cases

Bangladesh's High Court granted Chinmoy Krishna Das bail in two more cases on Sunday. Yet he remains in jail as the sedition case is stayed and a murder trial continues.Bangladesh's High Court on Sunday granted bail to jailed Hindu rights leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in two more cases, but he is unlikely to be released immediately as he continues to face charges in other cases, according to local media reports.Das, a Hindu monk, now has High Court bail in four of the six criminal cases against him, including two cases last month linked to vandalism, attack and obstruction of government duty. However, his bail in the sedition case remains stayed, while proceedings in a murder case are continuing.According to bdnews24, a bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher granted Das bail on Sunday in two cases related to vandalism and obstructing police. His lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, said Das faces six criminal cases in total and has now secured bail in four of them.The Business Standard reported that Das will not be released immediately because of the other pending cases against him. He was arrested in November 2024 on sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting the national flag, an action that triggered protests and communal tensions. He was later booked in several more cases, including murder, attempted murder and vandalism. The murder case is being heard at the Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal. It relates to an incident in which government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death in the southeastern port city of Chattogram by activists protesting Das's arrest.At the time of his arrest, India had expressed "deep concern" and asked Dhaka to ensure the safety "of Hindus and all minorities". The episode came amid a downturn in India-Bangladesh ties following the August 2024 ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, after which she took asylum in New Delhi. Das, who was previously associated with ISKCON, is a spokesman for Hindu Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote. The group held several rallies in Bangladesh in 2024, seeking minority rights, safety and protection from civil unrest after Hasina's ouster during a violent student-led street protest.In summary, Das has received bail in two more cases, taking his total to four out of six, but he remains in jail as the sedition case is still stayed and the murder case is under trial.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 6, 2026 19:58 IST