Assam: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Assamese peasant leader Akhil Gogoi until the conclusion of his trial in the UAPA, sedition case.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the resurrection of a Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) case against Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi in connection with the 2019 protest violence but added that Gogoi will remain on bail until the case’s pendency.
Breaking: Supreme Court allows Assamese peasant leader Akhil Gogoi to be out on bail till completion of trial in UAPA, sedition case. #SupremeCourt #SupremeCourtofIndia @AkhilGogoiAG pic.twitter.com/qOvf40U97l
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) April 18, 2023
A Gauhati High Court judgment rescinding Gogoi’s discharge in the case was maintained by a bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal.
Also Read: Assam: NIA reopens anti-CAA case against Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi
On March 20, the Supreme Court reserved its decision on the Assamese peasant leader’s appeal against the high court order. According to Bar and Bench, the bench requested the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) response on the matter in February.
The issued notice merely addressed whether Gogoi may be granted bail until the conclusion of his trial. Senior counsel Huzefa Ahmadi argued on Gogoi’s side throughout the proceedings that there were no charges of his misusing his liberties while out on bail following the discharge decision.
However, a bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal maintained a Gauhati High Court ruling that had overturned Gogoi’s discharge in the case.
On March 20, this year, the Supreme Court reserved its decision on the Assamese peasant leader’s appeal against the High Court order.
The bench had requested a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the matter in February.
The notice given was confined to whether Gogoi might be freed on bail until the trial was completed.
The NIA’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta responded by claiming that the CPI (Maoist), to which Gogoi is suspected of sending cadre for combat training, is not a political party. Furthermore, with the assistance of advocate Kanu Agrawal, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati emphasised that the charges under the UAPA were not for peaceful bandhs or shutdowns, but for the more serious offences of using terrorist methods and waging war against an elected government.
