Gauhati HC nixes NIA court order, allows agency to frame charges against MLA Gogoi for anti-CAA stir
Guwahati, Feb 9: The Gauhati High Court on Thursday allowed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to frame charges against Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi and three of his associates in connection with anti-CAA protests and suspected Maoist links.
Hearing a petition by the probe agency challenging the order of a Special NIA Court giving clean chit to the four, a division bench comprising Justices Suman Shyam and Malasri Nandi asked it to go ahead with framing charges after reopening the case.
"The high court has accepted NIA's plea to reopen the case and frame charges against the four persons. The case will be heard again in the Special NIA Court," Gogoi's counsel Santanu Borthakur told PTI.
Gogoi said he and the three others have been asked to appear before the Special NIA Court on February 23.
"I am going to challenge this verdict in the Supreme Court. I am hopeful of a positive outcome there," the Raijor Dal chief told PTI.
The Special NIA Court on July 1, 2021, released Gogoi and his three associates for their alleged role in the violent anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act stir in Assam in December 2019.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
