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NIA charges ULFA-I leader, five associates in Tinsukia grenade attack case

The incident took place on November 22, 2023, targeting an Indian Army installation in Kakopathar, Tinsukia.

Statesman News Service | Guwahati | May 30, 2024 6:15 pm

NIA charges ULFA-I leader, five associates in Tinsukia grenade attack case

Photo: IANS

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally charged the leader of the outlawed militant group United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), along with five associates, in connection with a grenade attack on a military base in Assam’s Tinsukia district last year.

The incident took place on November 22, 2023, targeting an Indian Army installation in Kakopathar, Tinsukia.

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There were no casualties, but the NIA claims the attack was part of a broader plot to strike security forces throughout the region.

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Filed in a special NIA court in Guwahati, the chargesheet implicates Paresh Baruah and five others in multiple offences under the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosives Substances Act.

Arunodoy Dohutia has been identified as a significant co-conspirator alongside Baruah. They are alleged to have masterminded the attacks and directed their operatives to execute them.

The chargesheet also points to Abhijit Gogoi as the coordinator of the Kakopathar attack’s planning and execution. Bijoy Moran is accused of enlisting local youths to participate in the assault.

Investigations have uncovered that ULFA-I leveraged social media platforms for recruitment purposes.

The NIA continues its investigation to uncover additional individuals involved and to dismantle the terrorist network.

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The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.