E-Paper
18 months on, Akhil Gogoi walks out of jail
Special judge Pranjal Das, who ordered his release, said that blockades might cause inconvenience to people but they do not constitute a terrorist act if unaccompanied by incitement to violence.
Assam’s 45-year-old activist-politician Akhil Gogoi walked free after 18 months in captivity on Thursday after a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court discharged him in connection with a second case under the anti-terror law related to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Special judge Pranjal Das, who ordered his release, said that blockades might cause inconvenience to people but they do not constitute a terrorist act if unaccompanied by incitement to violence. Das also said the conduct and approach of NIA and the prosecution was “discouraging”.
“Ordinary bandhs, blockades, shut downs as part of some protests, unaccompanied by incitement to violence would not come under the ambit of the expression- ‘threatening the economic security of India’ under section 15(1) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” special judge Das said in his verdict. “Protests in a democracy are sometimes seen to take the form of blockades also, even causing inconvenience to citizens. However, it is doubtful whether such blockades for temporary periods, if unaccompanied by any incitement to violence, would constitute a terrorist act within the meaning of section 15 of UA(P) Act,” the court order added.
On June 22, special judge Pranjal Das discharged him in the first terror case against him in connection with the anti-CAA protests. The NIA is yet to react to the verdict.
NIA filed two cases against Gogoi, accusing him of violating provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act relating to sedition, promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion and race, assertions against national integrity and support to terrorist organization.
