Akhil Gogoi Is The Mastermind Behind Maoist Activities In Assam: NIA

GUWAHATI: The Raijor Dal leader is allegedly the mastermind behind Maoist activity in Assam, according to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

On Monday, the NIA informed the Supreme Court that Legislator Gogoi could not be released on bail since he is the state's top organiser of Maoist activities.

During the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) agitation in Assam in December 2019, MLA Akhil Gogoi, who was outspoken against the BJP government, filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging a decision by the Gauhati High Court on February 9 allowing an NIA court to move forward with the framing of charges in one of the two cases against him.

Gogoi's protection from arrest was extended until March 3 by a bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal, who also indicated they would hear the case on Friday.

As the hearing got underway, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was in court on behalf of the NIA, cited the chargesheet that organisation had submitted and claimed Gogoi is the mastermind behind Maoist activity in Assam.

"I'm prepared to demonstrate the severity of the offense. He is connected to the CPI (Maoist). 64 FIRs have been filed against the lawmaker, according to Mehta, who also noted that he conspired and orchestrated a huge blockade in Assam that paralysed government operations and sent recruits to train in Maoist camps.

Senior attorney Huzefa Ahmadi stated that there is an overarching political vengeance when speaking on behalf of Gogoi. Gogoi is a prominent politician and a duly elected official. "They basically want to arrest him because of his opposition to a specific political regime," Ahmadi added.

The bench announced that it would discuss the issue on Friday.

Prior to this, the high court had given the NIA permission to ask for the special court to frame charges against Gogoi and three of his friends in relation to the anti-CAA protests and their alleged Maoist connections.

The top investigative agency had appealed the NIA court's decision clearing the four, which led to the high court's decision.

Also Read: One More Terrorist Killed In J&K

Also Watch: