Three months after he was arrested, anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) activist Akhil Gogoi was granted bail on Tuesday by the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court.
The court granted bail to Gogoi, founder of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a farmers’ rights organization, on a surety of Rs 30,000 after the NIA failed to file a charge sheet against him within 90 days and sought more time.
But he is unlikely to get out of prison soon as there are several other cases pending against him in many places across Assam for which he faces arrest.
“We were able to get bail for the NIA case and completed all formalities. But he had also been arrested in another case by the crime branch, we have moved bail for that,” said Gogoi’s lawyer Santanu Borthakur.
“There are several other cases against him in Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Teok, Gaurisagar etc. for which he might be arrested once he comes out of jail on bail in the NIA case,” he added.
Gogoi, who is also a popular RTI activist, was arrested at Jorhat on December 12 last year for his role in spearheading the protests against CAA, which seeks to fast forward citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He was later handed over to NIA and a court here sent him to 10 days custody of the agency on December 17. He was taken to New Delhi the same day for questioning.
{{/usCountry}}He was later handed over to NIA and a court here sent him to 10 days custody of the agency on December 17. He was taken to New Delhi the same day for questioning.
{{/usCountry}}Gogoi was brought back to Guwahati towards the end of December and was in judicial custody ever since. Several demonstrations seeking his release following reports of his deteriorating health had taken place both in Assam and outside.
The NIA has lodged a case under sections 120B, 124A, 153A, 153B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18 and Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPAA).
He was accused of criminal conspiracy, sedition, promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc., assertions against national integrity and support to terrorist organisations