Akhil Gogoi's wife pens down emotional Facebook post after he develops COVID-19 symptoms

Geetashree Tamuly, the wife of RTI activist and KMSS (Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti) leader Akhil Gogoi, who is lodged in jail, has expressed concern over his “COVID-like symptoms”.

Pained with his deteriorating health in jail, Tamuly, a faculty at B. Borooah College in Guwahati, wrote in a Facebook post:

“Many months have passed. There is no TV in the house. Many things go unnoticed. Just saw on Facebook that Akhil is sick. Symptoms of Covid. Don't know what to say. A lot of people call me or ask me otherwise, is dada all right? But what do I know? I haven't been able to meet him since he was taken away from Guwahati. Earlier, when arrested under NSA and they took him around, he used to call and inform from some thana or the other at midnight. No news this time. No phone. When he was in Dibrugarh, on calling the DGP of Assam Police, was asked to submit an online application to the DC. Submitted it. Two weeks later, the answer came, Rejected. And its rationale, Rejected.

Then he arrived in Guwahati. I came back from in front of the Jail time and again. Even after we took permission from the NIA court, they did not allow us, i.e. the lawyer and me, to meet him, giving Covid as an excuse. Waited for him when he was scheduled to appear in court on 29 June. But before that the lockdown was declared in Guwahati. Now there is no way to know anything beyond the newspapers and tv channels. Legal advice, discussion around it, illness - these may no longer be in the rights of the accused or their families. Now that there is an urgent situation ongoing due to Covid. However, just said this through the only medium I have at the moment to express my anguish.”

On July 6^th, 2020, Assam Director-General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that the concerned authority would be requested to take good care of Akhil Gogoi, who has reportedly developed some COVID-19 symptoms in jail.

Also read: Akhil Gogoi’s appeal soars amid 208 days of captivity, ill-health concerns

Addressing a press conference here in Guwahati, the DGP said, “The Deputy Commissioner or the health department will have the exact information about his health condition. We will definitely do the needful for his treatment if we get informed by the authority regarding any health issue.”

Akhil Gogoi was arrested on 12th Dec 2019, from Jorhat, sent to NIA custody for 10 days in Delhi, and taken back and lodged in Guwahati Central Jail since 26th Dec. KMSS Secretary Dhaijya Konwar and Bittu Sonowal, President of Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, a popular democratic student org in Assam, were arrested on 13th Dec and lodged in Guwahati Central Jail. On 7th Jan, both of them were tagged in the same fake UAPA case with Akhil Gogoi and are currently in NIA custody in Kamrup district. Manas Konwar was arrested on 13th Dec, released later and re-arrested from NIA Court, Guwahati, Assam towards the end of January 2020 being slapped with similar charges under UAPA. Earlier, the NIA failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 90 days, which warranted Akhil’s release but he was immediately arrested for other cases.

Akhil Gogoi had secured bail in three other cases under Sivasagar PS, Dibrugarh PS and Guwahati Crime Branch, but to maintain his custody, frivolous charges are being pressed again, a recent one of 28th May where Akhil is charged of ‘torching a Circle office, a post office and a Bank in Chabua’ on 12th December.

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