A Chittagong court has scheduled a hearing on January 19 to frame charges against 39 accused, including Chinmoy Das, spokesperson of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON), in connection with the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.
The order was issued on Wednesday by Judge Md Zahidul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal.
Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, lawyer for the Alif murder case and assistant public prosecutor, said the first proceeding at the tribunal was held after the lower court prepared the case for trial.
Of the 23 detained accused, 22 were produced in court. Chinmoy Das was not brought to court for security reasons. Sixteen accused remain absconding.
The charge sheet names, among others, Chandan Das Methor, Ripon Das, Rajib Bhattacharya, Shubho Kanti Das, Aman Das, Rumit Das, Nayon Das, Omkar Das, Bishal Das, Lala Das, Sumit Das, Sonu Das, Ganesh, and Dip Das.
On November 25, 2024, Chinmoy Das was arrested near Dhaka airport on treason charges. He was produced in a Chittagong court the next day, which denied bail and sent him to prison.
His supporters then staged protests at the court demanding his release, obstructing his transfer to prison.
During the protests, demonstrators vandalized several vehicles and a chamber in the court complex.
At one point, participants, including Chandan, Rumit, Sumit, Gagan, Nayon, Bishal, Aman, Sukanta, and Ganesh, attacked lawyer Saiful Islam Alif near the Rangam Convention Center, stabbing and killing him.
Following the incident, Alif’s father, Jamal Uddin, filed a murder case at Kotwali police station, naming 31 individuals and 10–15 others unidentified.
On June 1, 2025, Assistant Police Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman submitted a charge sheet against 39 accused.
On August 25, Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate S.M. Alauddin Mahmud accepted the charge sheet and formally proceeded against all 39 accused.
