Assam govt digging out old cases against Akhil Gogoi: KMSS

Peasants' body Krishak Mukti

Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Wednesday alleged that the state government was digging out old cases against Akhil Gogoi in a "vindictive manner" despite the special NIA court giving him bail.

Addressing a press conference here, KMSS president Bhasco De Saikia said Gogoi has again been arrested on Wednesday morning in a case registered at Sivasagar police station so that he is not released even after the bail order.

Gogoi was granted bail on Tuesday by the special NIA court after the investigating agency failed to file a charge sheet against him within the specified time of 90 days.

 

"We all thought that after the bail, he will be released. But Sarbananda Sonowal's government is still filing cases after cases with a nasty conspiracy to not free him. Strangely, neither Gogoi nor his lawyers were informed about these cases earlier," Saikia said.

After a local court in Sivasagar district took Gogoi's statement through video conferencing inside the jail in Guwahati, the police took him to custody for four days, Saikia said.

The KMSS leader said cases were filed at various police stations, including Sivasagar, under different stringent sections.

Saikia claimed that the BJP government's attitude is "totally vindictive" because they know if Gogoi is released, the movement against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act will get a fresh lease of life.

"Akhil Gogoi is the first person to get bail in an NIA case within 90 days. It proves that the case was false, crafted and vindictive," he claimed.

In the midst of the intense anti-CAA movement, Gogoi was arrested on December 12 last year from Jorhat as a "preventive measure" in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and his colleagues were taken into custody the next day.

Later, the Assam Police registered an FIR at Chandmari police station, which included charges under the stringent UA (P)A.

The case was handed over to the NIA with the issuance of an order by the Union Home Ministry on December 14.

Along with Gogoi, three more KMSS leaders -- Dhairjya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal and Manash Konwar -- were arrested by the NIA in the same case and are currently lodged in jail.