Assam: Supreme Court reserves verdict in Sibsagar MLA's bail plea

The Supreme Court on March 20 heard the bail plea of Sibsagar MLA Akhil Gogoi against the cases filed against him by the NIA for allegedly inciting violence during the anti-CAA protests in Assam.

Supreme Court bench comprising Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal further reserved the verdict in Akhil Gogoi's appeal against Gauhati HC's decision to set aside his discharge order in connection with offences under the UAPA.

Earlier on March 3 the Supreme Court extended the protection from arrest granted to independent Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi until March 13 in connection with a case related to anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests and suspected Maoist links.
 

Also Read: Supreme Court extends protection from arrest to Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi till March 13
 

Gogoi, who has been vocal against the Central government during the protests, had moved the top court against the February 9 order of the Gauhati High Court, which had allowed the special NIA court in Assam to proceed with framing charges against him in one of the two cases.

During the hearing, a bench of justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal deferred the matter to March 13 after noting that the counsel for the petitioner was not available. "Interim protection to continue till next date," the bench said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier told the Supreme Court that bail cannot be granted to Gogoi as he is an alleged kingpin of Maoist activities in the state. However, Gogoi has claimed that the cases against him are a result of "political vendetta".