CAA protests: SC grants Assam MLA protection from NIA arrest

New Delhi: In the case of anti-CAA protests and suspected Maoist links, the Supreme Court has granted independent Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi protection from arrest. The top court has also demanded a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on his bail plea, PTI reported.

The Gauhati High Court issued an order on February 9, allowing NIA to frame charges against Gogoi for being vocal against CAA or Maoist links case. But Gogoi moved Supreme Court challenging the high court order.

A bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal ruled on Tuesday, "Let notice be served on the standing counsel for the State (NIA), for the limited purpose of considering the grant of protection to the petitioner from arrest pursuant to the impugned order, returnable on February 24, 2023."

"In the meantime, the petitioner (Mr Gogoi) shall be protected against arrest in connection with FIR bearing ... dated December 14, 2019, Police Station NIA, Guwahati," the court ruled.

Earlier, the high court had permitted the NIA to seek framing of charges in the special court against Mr Gogoi and three of his associates in connection with anti-CAA protests and suspected Maoist links.

The high court's order had come on an appeal of the NIA challenging the order of a special NIA court giving clean chit to the four.

A high court division bench comprising Justices Suman Shyam and Malasri gave the nod to NIA to go forward with framing charges after reopening the case.

The MLA has come to the Supreme Court against the order.

The other three accused were Dhaijya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal and Manash Konwar, all of whom got bail in the NIA case and were released from jail.