Assam: NIA court allows Akhil Gogoi to take oath as MLA of new assembly

Akhil Gogoi defeated Surabhi Rajkonwari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Sibsagar seat in the Assam assembly elections without campaigning himself.

Updated on: May 12, 2021, 08:58:29 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Guwahati on Tuesday allowed jailed activist and president of Raijor Dal, Akhil Gogoi, to take oath as a new member of Assam’s assembly, his lawyer said. The 45-year-old activist was jailed in December 2019 for allegedly stoking violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests with the aim to destabilise the country.

Akhil Gogoi was jailed in December 2019 for allegedly stoking violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests. (PTI Photo)

“As per the court’s ruling, Gogoi will be escorted by police from Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), where he is lodged now, to the state assembly and brought back after the oath taking ceremony,” said Santanu Borthakur, Gogoi’s lawyer. Gogoi was hospitalised last year for treatment of Covid-19 and is currently under treatment for other ailments.

Gogoi defeated Surabhi Rajkonwari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Sibsagar seat without campaigning himself. His 84 year old mother Priyada Gogoi campaigned on his behalf.

Gogoi was arrested in December 2019 after a case was filed against him in Dibrugarh. The case was later transferred to NIA and a charge sheet was filed in June last year which alleged Gogoi had led the anti-CAA movement which turned violent and led to arson and attacks on police personnel. It also alleged that he hatched a conspiracy to target a particular community in order to disturb unity and integrity of the country.

Last month, the Gauhati high court upheld NIA court’s decision to grant bail to Gogoi in one of the cases. He continues in custody as he is yet to get bail in another case lodged against him by the investigative agency.

Raijor Dal was formed in October last year and Gogoi was later named its president. Raijor Dal tied up with Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), another newly formed outfit, in the assembly elections but the alliance failed to win any other seat.

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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