Guwahati: Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi on Thursday appeared before a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in connection to a case that was brought against him during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act demonstrations in the state.

This comes to the fore after the Assam government appealed to the Gauhati High Court to investigate the case filed against Akhil Gogoi. Meanwhile, based on the state government’s appeal, High Court instructed the NIA court to reopen the case.

Furthermore, along with Akhil Gogoi, Bittu Sonowal of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, Manas Konwar, leader of Chhatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, and Raijor Dal leader Dhairya Konwar also appeared before the NIA court.

However, Akhil Gogoi’s supporters gathered in front of the NIA court where hundreds of people come from different parts of the State.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted Gogoi protection from arrest and asked NIA to file a reply to his plea concerning anti-CAA protests and suspected Maoist links.

A bench of justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal issued a notice to National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Gogoi’s plea.

According to the supreme court, “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 shall be protected against arrest in connection with FIR dated December 14, 2019, Police Station NIA,” the court added.

Akhil Gogoi has challenged the February 9 order of the Guwahati High Court, which has allowed the probe agency to frame charges against Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi and three others in connection with anti-CAA protests.

The National Investigation Agency in Guwahati High Court has challenged the order of a Special NIA Court, dated 01.07.2021, giving clean chit to the four accused. Hearing the plea, the High Court asked the agency to proceed with framing charges after reopening the case.