Assam: Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi to appear before NIA court on February 23

Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi will appear before a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on February 23 in connection with a case brought against him during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in Assam.

This follows the Assam government's request to the Gauhati High Court to investigate the Akhil Gogoi case. The high court ordered the NIA court to reopen the case on the basis of the appeal.

It should be noted that before granting Akhil Gogoi interim protection, the Supreme Court had ordered that he not be arrested again in connection with the matter until the case was decided.

The Supreme Court on February 23 asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to respond to Akhil Gogoi's plea and granted him protection from arrest in connection with the anti-CAA protests case and suspicions of Maoist ties.
Akhil Gogoi had filed a petition with the supreme court challenging the Gauhati High Court's February 9 decision, which permitted the Assam-based special NIA court to proceed with the formation of charges against him in one of the two cases.

“Let notice be served on the standing counsel for the State (NIA), for the limited purpose of considering the grant of protection to the petitioner from arrest pursuant to the impugned order, returnable on February 24, 2023,” a bench composed of justices Pankaj Mithal and V Ramasubramanian wrote. In the interim, Akhil Gogoi, the petitioner, will not be arrested in connection with the FIR dated December 14, 2019, Police Station NIA, Guwahati.

The high court had permitted the NIA to look for outlining of charges in the unique court against Akhil Gogoi and three partners of his, to be specific Dhajya Konwar, Manas Konwar and Bitu Sonowal, regarding hostile to CAA dissents and thought Maoist connections. The NIA's appeal against a special NIA court's decision to grant the four a clean chit was the basis for the order.

After reopening the case, the high court bench of justices Suman Shyam and Malasri Nandi requested that the agency proceed with laying charges against Akhil Gogoi and the remainder.

Santanu Borthakur, Akhil Gogoi's lawyer, stated, "The high court has accepted NIA's plea to reopen the case and frame charges against the four people." The Special NIA Court will hear the case again.

Also read : Supreme Court grants bail to Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi in UAPA case registered by NIA