Centre appoints four special public prosecutors for NIA cases related to PFI, Akhil Gogoi

The Central government on April 20 appointed four advocates as special public prosecutors for matters on behalf of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and cases linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and Assam legislator Akhil Gogoi.

The four advocates who have been appointed as special public prosecutors are Makhan Phukan, Ajith Kumar S, Sneh Deep Khyalia and N Baaskaran. They have been appointed for a period of three years with effect from the date of publication of the notification until further orders and have been tasked to handle cases in the four states of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, said a notice issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Ajith and Sneh will represent the NIA in NIA Special Courts and the High Courts of Kerala and Rajasthan, while Makhan will handle NIA matters before the High Court of Guwahati.

N Baaskaran will represent the NIA before the High Court of Madras and the NIA Special Court in Chennai.

The Centre took the step exercising the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008), read with Sub-Section (8) of Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).

As per the notification, Makhan will be handling RC-13/2019/NIA/GUW and RC-01/2020/NIA/GUW cases of the NIA. The agency filed these cases against Akhil Gogoi, president of the farmers’ body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

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