Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi acquitted in NIA case against him

The cases pertain to 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, etc

Published on: Jun 22, 2021, 16:53:39 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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President of Raijor Dal and MLA from Assam’s Sibsagar, Akhil Gogoi, was acquitted by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Tuesday in one of the two cases filed against him for his alleged involvement in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state in December 2019.

MLA from Sibsagar and activist Akhil Gogoi was produced before special NIA court in Guwahati on Tuesday, June 22. (PTI)

A prominent farmers’ activist, Gogoi has been under arrest since. The NIA filed two cases against him, one from Chabua police station in Dibrugarh and the other from Chandmari in Guwahati, under several sections of IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPA). It is the Chabua case that Gogoi has been acquitted in even as the other case will proceed.

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The cases pertain to 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, etc.

“Hearing in the Chabua case is over and Akhil Gogoi and two others, Bhupen Gogoi and Jagjit Gohain, have been discharged as NIA failed to prove their guilt,” Gogoi’s advocate Krishna Gogoi told journalists.

“The case against Phukan will now be heard in a Dibrugarh sessions court. Hearing in the Chandmari case is still on,” he added. Gogoi has not got bail in the Chandmari case.

The activist formed Raijor Dal last year and won from the Sibsagar seat in the assembly elections held this year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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