The National Investigation Agency on Friday submitted a formal chargesheet against five people, including United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent chief Paresh Baruah, regarding the recovery of an improvised explosive device in Guwahati on August 15, 2024. The banned militant group, which operates out of bases in Myanmar, faces serious allegations of plotting multiple coordinated bomb attacks across Assam. The chargesheet was officially lodged before a special NIA court located in Guwahati against Baruah, who serves as the chairman and self-styled commander-in-chief of the proscribed outfit.
Details of the Accused and the Recovered Device
Alongside Baruah, the other individuals named as defendants in the chargesheet include Kanak Ch Gogoi alias Aisheng Asom, Jahnu Boruah, Bhargab Gogoi, and Sumu Gogoi. The legal proceedings stem from an incident on August 15, 2024, when an IED was allegedly planted by the outfit along Motilal Nehru Road in the Panbazar area of Guwahati. The explosive device was subsequently recovered by law enforcement authorities, prompting a thorough investigation into the network responsible for placing it in the crowded commercial zone.
Legal Provisions and Transfer of Investigation
According to official statements released by the agency, the accused individuals have been formally charged under various stringent provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. The legal case was initially initiated at the Panbazar police station in Guwahati on August 16, 2024. Due to the severe nature of the conspiracy, the case was later taken over and re-registered by the NIA on February 27, 2025, to conduct a comprehensive nationwide and cross-border probe.
Allegations of Waging War Against the State
Investigators have alleged that the suspects were active participants in a criminal conspiracy aimed at waging war against the Indian government. The plan reportedly involved executing multiple explosive attacks at various strategic locations throughout Assam, with Motilal Nehru Road serving as one of the intended targets. The planned blasts were designed to cause significant loss of human life and destruction of property, threaten the unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty of India, and instill widespread terror among the general public.
