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Bail Hearing for Hindu Priest in Bangladesh Delayed After Lawyer Attack

  • 03 Dec 2024 02:23 AM
  • Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachar, Bangladesh sedition, ISKCON lawyer attack

The bail hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the Hindu priest accused of sedition in Bangladesh, has been postponed until January 2, 2025, after no lawyers appeared in court on Tuesday. This delay follows reports that a Bangladeshi lawyer defending the Hindu monk was brutally attacked at his home by Islamists and is now in the Intensive Care Unit. According to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the lawyer’s attack has made it impossible for him to represent the priest in court, leading to the adjournment of the proceedings.

In addition to the lawyer’s assault, the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, a coalition representing Hindu minorities, has alleged that around 70 Hindu lawyers were falsely charged in a case under the Explosives Act to prevent them from participating in the bail hearing. The minority coalition has claimed that this legal action is an effort to disrupt the defense of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and halt his legal proceedings. The group further accused members of a political faction of assaulting the lawyers involved in the case.

ISKCON Kolkata's spokesperson, Radharaman Das, posted on social media urging people to pray for Advocate Ramen Roy, one of the lawyers involved, who was severely injured during the attack. However, many lawyers in Bangladesh have denied these claims, and previous rumors of a lawyer's death were later found to be inaccurate. Investigations revealed that Saiful Islam, who was reported dead, was an assistant public prosecutor and not involved in defending the Hindu priest.

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