On 22nd October, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court framed charges against Independent legislator from Sibsagar,Assam Akhil Gogoi and three of his associates, Dhaijya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal, and Manash Konwar, under provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their alleged role in violent protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019.
Judge Sk Sharma heard the case of Akhil Gogoi. Though he dropped the charges of Section 39 of the UAPA, which pertains to supporting terrorist organizations, and Section 124A of the IPC, which deals with sedition, he charged Akhil Gogoi under the anti-terrorism law. The charges include conspiracy, promoting enmity between communities, and making assertions prejudicial to national integration.
Following the judgement, MLA Akhil Gogoi took to X and wrote “The state will not spare anyone unless there is compromise and surrender.Justice here is just a dictionary word.”
https://x.com/AkhilGogoiAG/status/1848645880921923669
Gogoi was arrested in December 2019 during the protests against the CAA, which fast-tracks citizenship for refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who had to face religious persecution.
