Ctg lawyer Alif murder: Police charge 38, incl ISKCON leader

Police on Tuesday submitted a chargesheet implicating 38 individuals, including ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, in the sensational murder of Chattogram lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.

Mahfuzur Rahman, Assistant Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (Kotwali Zone) and investigation officer of the case, filed the chargesheet. He said three of the originally named 31 accused were dropped due to lack of evidence, but 10 new suspects were added, bringing the total to 38.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury said the court will hold a hearing on the acceptance of the chargesheet on Wednesday.

According to the chargesheet, Alif was deliberately killed as part of a conspiracy to create unrest in the country.

So far, 20 of the accused have been arrested. Among them, Chandan Das, Rajib Bhattacharya, and Ripon Das have given confessional statements under Section 164. The remaining 18 are still absconding.

The incident occurred on November 26 last year, when tensions erupted on the Chattogram court premises after supporters of Chinmoy Das intercepted a prison van carrying him following the rejection of his bail plea in a sedition case. Lawyer Alif was stabbed to death during a clash between law enforcers and Chinmoy’s followers.

On November 29, Alif’s father Jamal Uddin filed a case with Kotwali Police Station, naming 31 people and 15-16 unidentified others. The identified accused hail from Chandgaon, Mohora, and Bundle Sebak Colony areas of the city.