GUWAHATI: Assam’s activist-MLA Akhil Gogoi on Thursday walked to freedom after a special NIA court discharged him in the second of the two cases registered against him in connection with the December 2019 violence during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the state.
The 45-year-old is staying in a paying cabin of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. He has some health-related issues.
Gogoi was arrested based on two FIRs lodged with Chabua police station in Dibrugarh and Chandmari police station in Guwahati. The cases were filed under relevant sections of IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act for alleged criminal conspiracy, sedition, promoting enmity between groups, assertions against national integrity, and support to a terrorist organisation (read CPI-Maoist).
Last week, an NIA court had cleared him of the charges in the Chabua police station case.
“He has been discharged in the Chandmari police station case today (Thursday),” Gogoi’s legal counsel Rahul Sensowa told journalists.
Raijor Dal, the political party that Gogoi heads, slammed the government.
“The government had conspired to put him behind the bar. It has now got exposed,” Raijor Dal working president, Bhasco de Saikia said.
Three others, Dharjya Konwar, Manas Konwar, and Bitu Sonowal, who were arrested along with Gogoi but are out on bail, were also discharged on Thursday.
Gogoi had contested the last Assembly elections from jail and managed to win from the Sibsagar seat. His mother Priyada Gogoi had campaigned for him despite her failing health and old age ailments.