A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Thursday acquitted Raijar Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi in the second case registered against him by the agency in connection with the Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He was already acquitted in another case registered against him by the NIA. Soon he may be released from jail.
Gogoi, a prominent farmer activist, was arrested since December 2019 for his alleged role in the anti-CAA protests in Assam. Due to being unwell for a few months, he has been admitted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). NIA acquitted him in the case registered in Chandmari, Guwahati. The NIA had registered two cases against Gogoi under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment (UAPA) Act.
Gogoi has been booked for criminal conspiracy, sedition, promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, caste, place of birth, residence, language etc., making claims against national integrity and supporting a terrorist organization. Gogoi was granted bail by the NIA court in October last year in the Chabua case. The investigating agency had approached the Gauhati High Court challenging the bail order.
Three other accused in the same case, Dharma Konwar, Manash Konwar and Bitu Sonowal were also acquitted by the NIA court on Thursday. All the three accused are already out on bail. In April this year, the Gauhati High Court upheld the NIA court in granting bail to Gogoi and dismissed the probe agency’s appeal.
