The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday interrogated a faculty member of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, in connection with a case in which it is probing an alleged nexus between several KMSS leaders with Maoist groups.

Arupjyoti Saikia, who teaches history in the department of humanities and social sciences at the IIT, was summoned by the NIA and questioned at the agency’s Sonapur office for more than three hours. Saikia is known for his works on peasant politics in the state as well as forest and ecological history.

Saikia’s advocate Santanu Borthakur told The Telegraph: “He was summoned to depose his statement and evidence in connection with the case in which four KMSS leaders, including Akhil Gogoi, were arrested. The agency has asked him to come again on Monday.” The NIA has also arrested KMSS leaders Dhairjya Konwar, Manas Konwar and Bittu Sonowal in connection with the case.

NIA sources said Akhil was allegedly in touch with the Revolutionary Communist Centre which later merged with the CPI (Maoist).

“Taking advantage of the current situation and the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Akhil was spreading the Maoists’ tentacles and ideology in the state,” an NIA source said.

Though not revealed officially, it was suspected that Saikia had been in close terms with several KMSS leaders for a very long time and also during the anti-CAA protests.

On Friday, the NIA had questioned KMSS leader Hussain Mohammad Shahjahan for almost six hours in the same case. Shahjahan has also been asked to reappear before the investigating team on Monday.

Both Saikia and Shahjahan were summoned by the NIA under Section 160 of the CrPC. Under the section, an investigating team has the power to require the attendance of witnesses in a case.

Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had also hinted at the alleged role of leading academicians of the state in the violent protests against the CAA in December 2019.