NIA raids Akhil Gogoi's residence, office at Guwahati

Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today raided the residence and office of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi, who is currently in NIA custody over alleged Maoists links.

Gogoi's residence at Chandmari area and the KMSS office at Gandhibasti were searched by sleuths of NIA, official sources said, adding that several documents and computers have been seized.

Gitashree Tamuly, Gogoi's wife who was present at their residence along with their son and other family members during the raid, told reporters later that a number of files, papers and identity documents of her husband have been seized.

She said, "They specifically asked for a file on NHPC, and when I saw a filed marked with it, I handed it to them. They also took many other files, including one on bank CDR that Akhil had compiled during one of his earlier projects and an unfinished hand written manuscript of his days in jail. I requested for a photocopy of the manuscript, but they didn't compile."

The NIA sleuths wanted to know from Tamuly whether any militant leader had met Gogoi during his imprisonment earlier and whether those meetings were documented in the manuscript; but Tamuly pleaded ignorance on the matter.

The NIA also asked her for land documents of the Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity Park, but as it is not Gogoi's personal property, Tamuly did not have the papers with her.

"Akhil has a laptop, which he doesn't use himself but is used for organizational work. It had documents on his awareness campaign about NGREGA, and other things. It was also seized," Tamuly added.

The NIA also searched the KMSS office at Gandhibasti area and seized several files and computers.Gogoi was arrested from Jorhat on December 12 and was produced in a NIA court here on December 17, which remanded him in 10 days NIA custody.

He was flown to New Delhi during the period and brought back yesterday.The NIA is probing an old case against Gogoi, alleging links with Maoists and receiving funds from them.(UNI)