Assam party to move SC seeking freedom for jailed Akhil Gogoi

GUWAHATI: Recently-floated Assam political party “Raijor Dal” said it would move the Supreme Court to seek justice for its jailed president and activist Akhil Gogoi.

The party, floated in October last year by 70 organisations led by Gogoi’s peasants’ body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), lamented that unlike some co-accused facing similar charges and granted bail, the activist was continued to be incarcerated.

“Akhil Gogoi has been linked to the CPI (Maoist) based on the statements given by two witnesses. The statements are without any basis and vague,” Raijor Dal said.

“We waited for too long hoping to see him among us again. As he hasn’t been granted bail, we have decided to move the Supreme Court to seek justice for him,” the party said.

It demanded his release so he can contest the Assembly elections, due in April-May. The Gauhati High Court had on Thursday rejected his bail plea.

Gogoi was arrested by the police in December 2019 when the protests in Assam against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) had turned violent, leading to loss of lives.

Later, he was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a case pertaining to his alleged links with the CPI (Maoist). The NIA had charged him with sedition, intention to cause riot against national integration, punishment for criminal conspiracy, and unlawful association under the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Recently, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said Gogoi was arrested by the NIA for his links with the CPI (Maoist) and not due to his role in the anti-CAA protests.

“The NIA has got evidence of his links with the CPI (Maoist). Based on it, the agency has continued with its investigation,” Sarma had said.

He had also said that the NIA, in its chargesheet, mentioned Gogoi’s attempt to carry out activities in Assam at the behest of the CPI (Maoist) after getting some KMSS members trained at its camps.