Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi’s lawyer, raising “doubts” over the government’s “intentions”, on Saturday asked what was the administration doing since 2009 when it had come to light that the peasant leader was a “Maoist”. He also questioned why he was taken to Delhi without informing the court.

Akhil’s advocate Santanu Borthakur told The Telegraph, “Akhil has been heading the KMSS since 2005 and was arrested multiple times earlier, even under the National Security Act. But no investigation has ever revealed his nexus with any Maoist groups. Moreover, after registering the case on December 13 midnight, the National Investigation Agency took over the case within hours. Therefore, the charges against him were planned and fabricated.”

Borthakur said, “If we look at these facts, it clearly leads us to a doubt about the real intention of the government or the political purpose.”

Akhil was arrested on December 12 in Jorhat by state police during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. On December 17, he was handed over to the NIA, which arrested him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, produced in a special NIA court and sent to 10-day custody. The next day he was flown to Delhi. He was brought back to Guwahati on Wednesday night and produced in the NIA court on Thursday

NIA raided Akhil’s house and office here on Thursday and seized several documents and a laptop. He will be produced in court on January 10.

“Why was Gogoi brought to court in handcuffs, violating his dignity and in violation of the Supreme Court’s direction on handcuffing an accused? Why was he moved to New Delhi without informing the court? A person is allegedly working for a dreaded outfit since 2009 and for all these years the police machinery is not aware of it? Is it not complete failure of the police machinery?” Borthakur asked.

Chaliha custody

A lower court on Saturday sent Bir Lachit Sena leader Sringkhol Chaliha to two more days of CID custody.

He has been in the custody of the criminal investigation department of the state police for the last four days.

Chaliha was arrested in Dibrugarh on Monday and then brought to Guwahati. He was produced before the court on Tuesday when he was remanded in CID custody. He was accused of making provocative statements during anti-CAA protests.

Additional reporting by Pranjal Baruah in Guwahati