Assam: NIA frames charges against Akhil Gogoi, three others under Section 18 of UAPA

Staff reporter

GUWAHATI: Despite the absence of any evidence connecting him to under Section 124A (sedition) of the IPC or Section 39 of the UAPA (support to a terrorist organisation), MLA Akhil Gogoi is scheduled to face trial for charges under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Charges were framed against MLA Akhil Gogoi and three other people by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection to the violent demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that occurred in Assam in December 2019.

Gogoi’s lawyer, Santanu Borthakur, while talking to the media, said, “Today, the NIA court framed charges against each of the four defendants. Section 18 of the UAPA (conspiracy to commit or prepare for a terrorist act); and section 120B (criminal conspiracy), section 153A (hate speech), and section 153B (statements prejudicial to national integration) of the IPC are the charges against Gogoi. Under sections 18 of the UAPA and 120B of the IPC, charges have been brought against the other three.”

However, according to Borthakur, the court declined to charge Gogoi and his three associates, Dhijya Konwar, Bitu Sonowal, and Manash Konwar, under IPC 124A (sedition) under and 39 of the UAPA (support to a terrorist organisation) because there was insufficient evidence.

Chabua Police Station initially registered a case in 2019 in connection with the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). However, the case was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further investigation.

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