NIA files additional chargesheet against jailed legislator Akhil Gogoi

GUWAHATI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed an additional chargesheet against independent legislator Akhil Gogoi who has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, (UAPA) for his alleged role in violent anti-CAA protests and possible links with the Maoist elements.

Gogoi's advocate said the investigating agency has presented a "protected witness", in the Chandmari case for which they (the NIA) have filed an additional chargesheet in the Special NIA Court here.

"We have prepared an objection, which we will file in the NIA court soon," the advocate added.

The additional chargesheet comes at a time when the hearing in the case is in its final stages and the NIA court was expected to give its verdict shortly.

Gogoi was cleared of charges in the original Chabua police station case, by the NIA Court last week and the hearing for the Chandmari police station case was on at the same court.

He was granted parole last Friday to visit his ailing mother at their Jorhat home and his son, who recently recovered from COVID-19, at Guwahati.

Gogoi was arrested on December 12, 2019, from Jorhat, during the height of the violent protests against the then proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) as a "preventive measure" in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

The Raijor Dal president had contested and won the state Assembly election from Sibsagar constituency earlier this year, becoming the first person in the state to be elected from behind the bars.

Reacting to the additional chargesheet, Raijor Dal working president Bhasco De Saikia alleged that the BJP-led government in the state was trying to keep their party president behind the bars.

"Like in the previous chargesheet, this is also based on unnamed witness," he said.

"An elected government is using the countrys largest investigating agency to meet its end of keeping Gogoi confined," he claimed.

Saikia further claimed that Gogois popularity is a nightmare for the chief minister and hence, the government was conspiring to keep him jailed as bye-elections are due to several constituencies in the state.

The NIA court had rejected Gogoi's bail application in the Chandmari police station case in August last year, following which he had filed a petition challenging it in the Gauhati High Court.

The High Court had also rejected his bail application and its order was challenged by Gogoi's lawyers in the Supreme Court where the judges decided not to "consider the petition at this stage".