NIA Raids Guwahati Residence of RTI Activist Akhil Gogoi, Who Was Arrested Over Anti-CAA Protests

Gogoi, was arrested on December 11 for his alleged role in the recent protests in Assam against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday along with Assam Police raided the Guwahati residence of Right to Information (RTI) activist Akhil Gogoi, who was arrested by the agency earlier this month.

The agency also conducted searches at the Gandhibasti office of the organisation he founded and seized files relating to Gogoi’s identity cards and bank documents.

Gogoi, whose custody was to end on Friday, was arrested on December 11 for his alleged role in the recent protests in Assam against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The activist was booked under Section 120 B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 124 A (sedition), 153 A (unlawful association) and 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 18/39 (punishment for conspiracy) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

A senior official of the Jorhat administration said that Gogoi was taken into custody to avoid any “untoward incident” in the district, as well as other parts of the state by his supporters.

Several organizations in Assam have called for a 12-hour statewide strike on December 27, beginning 5 am demanding Gogoi’s immediate release.