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NIA court frames charges against Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi for anti-CAA agitation
Akhil Gogoi’s lawyer said the court ruled there wasn’t enough evidence to charge them for sedition and support to terror group as alleged by NIA
GUWAHATI: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday framed charges under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi and three others in connection with the violent protests that took place in Assam in December 2019 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
“The NIA court today framed charges against all the four accused. The charges against Gogoi have been framed under section 18 of UAPA (conspiracy to commit or prepare for terrorist act) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (hate speech) and 153B (statements prejudicial to national integration) of the Indian Penal Code. Charges against the three others have been framed under 120B of IPC and 18 of UAPA,” Gogoi’s lawyer , Santanu Borthakur, said.
Borthakur said the court, however, ruled that there was not enough evidence to frame charges against Gogoi and his three associates, Dhijya Konwar, Bitu Sonowal and Manash Konwar, \under section 124A (sedition) and 39 of UAPA (support to a terrorist organisation).
Gogoi was arrested at Jorhat on December 12, 2019, for his role in the protests against CAA, which seeks to fast forward citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. His three associates were arrested a day later.
Gogoi’s organisation, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, which was at the forefront of the anti-CAA protests in Assam, floated a political party called Raijor Dal in 2020. In the 2021 state elections, Gogoi contested the Sibsagar seat while he was lodged in jail and won. He was released from jail in July 2021 after spending 15 months in detention.
“It’s not an easy battle to take on the government,” Gogoi said.
“The agencies of the government have been persistently trying to prosecute us. We will challenge the framing of charges in Gauhati high court and will hopefully get justice there,” he added.
The Chabua police station in Dibrugarh district initially registered the case in December 2019. It was later transferred to NIA the same month and a charge sheet was filed in June 2020 which alleged that Gogoi led the anti-CAA movement which turned violent and led to arson and attacks on police personnel.
It also alleged that he and his associates hatched a conspiracy to target a particular community to disturb the unity and integrity of the country.
Many indigenous groups in Assam apprehended that CAA would lead to an influx of illegal immigrants entering the state from Bangladesh, which in turn would threaten the language, culture and identity of local populations. Violent protests against the legislation had resulted in the death of 5 persons in police action.
