Assam opposition leader interrogated by CID in Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra case, Assam Cong chief not to appear tomorrow

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 6, 2024

Assam opposition leader Debabrata Saikia was grilled by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police on Wednesday in connection with a case registered against him in connection with a clash that took place during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Guwahati on January 23.

Saikia accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah, working president Jakir Hussain Sikdar and other senior party leaders appeared before the CID headquarters at Ulibari in the city around 11 am on Wednesday.

The CID had earlier issued a summons to Debabrata Saikia on February 26 in connection with the FIR registered at Basistha police station on January 23 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 for investigation,” a senior police official said.

The case number 55/2024 has been registered under sections 120B/143/147/283/253/332/333/188/427 of the IPC and section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.

“The CID has issued a summons to me. I appeared before them today. They questioned me for more than three hours. They asked me whether we had a conspiracy to enter Guwahati city during our Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 23,” Saikia told reporters after coming out of CID headquarters.

“I replied to every question they asked. I told them that we have the democratic right to protest against the government. Our leader Rahul Gandhi organised the BJNY to protest against the government policies. On that day, more than 12 to 15 thousand people took part. We were not allowed to enter the city. But we did not damage any public property also,” Saikia said.

“We did not create any law and order situation. BJP had also organised a Swacch Bharat Abhijan to clean a road at the same place. There was a mob in the place. Rahul Gandhi’s car was stopped due to the mob. Our president was also manhandled,” Saikia also said.

“Earlier chief minister had said that the BJNY could go through the main city had there be a holiday. That day was Netaji’s birth anniversary and it was a holiday. So they could allow us to go through the main city,” he said.

“The case filed against me is false and fabricated. There was no proper traffic management, There was no adequate police personnel. I think the police officers should be brought under the ambit of questioning,” he added.

Sources here said the CID also issued a fresh summons to Bhupen Kumar Bora asking him to appear before it on March 7.

Borah is unlikely to appear before the investigation agency as he has to attend a party meeting in New Delhi on the selection of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

“Moreover, Borah’s father’s sharadha ceremony will be on March 7 due to which he would not appear before the CID, he seeks another date,” sources added. On February 13, Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar and Ramen Sarma were also summoned by CID for questioning in connection with the case to appear before them on February 23 at 11:30 am. 

On January 23 this year, a clash broke out in Guwahati when Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Guwahati when the party workers broke police barricades in Guwahati in the presence of Rahul and other senior Congress leaders.

Visuals from the scene showed several Congress supporters, many of them bearing party flags, tussling with police personnel and attempting to break barricades while Rahul Gandhi looked on from a distance.

Following the incident, a case was registered at Basistha Police Station relating to the violation of various laws during a road event of the Indian National Congress and the case was transferred to CID Assam for a thorough and in-depth investigation through a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be constituted by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of CID Assam.