The National Investigation Agency has filed a supplementary chargesheet against banned organisation United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent)’s Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah and four others accused in a 2019 Guwahati grenade blast case, ANI reported on Thursday.
The four others named in the chargesheet filed on Tuesday are Pappu Koch Bokoliyal, Amrit Ballav Goswami, Arunodoy Dahotiya and Munna Baruah. All five have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 121 (waging war against the government).
The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), commonly known as ULFA(I), had claimed responsibility for the blast that had injured 12 people in Guwahati’s Zoo Road in May 2019. Two ULFA(I) cadres had lobbed a grenade at a group of policemen.
NIA had taken over the case on June 26, 2019 and filed a chargesheet in November that year. During its inquiry, the investigation agency collected additional evidence against the accused, based on which it filed the supplementary chargesheet, PTI reported.
The supplementary chargesheet was filed months after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spoke about the possibility of holding talks with the ULFA(I). Sarma had urged Baruah to “abjure violence and come to the discussion table” after taking oath as the chief minister in May.
However in June, he had refused to hold discussions on Baruah’s demand for a sovereign and independent Assam.
“ULFA(I) chief Paresh Baruah insists that he will not discuss anything beyond sovereignty but I have taken an oath to protect sovereignty,” the chief minister had said. “These two are irreconcilable.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!