Hiren Gohain
Scholar Hiren Gohain, KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi and journalist Manjit Mahanta during a protest rally against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Guwahati. (File photo)

The Gauhati High Court on Friday granted interim bail to scholar Hiren Gohain, KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi and absolute bail to  journalist-activist Manjit Mahanta in sedition case.

Assam police on Thursday slapped sedition charges against Gohain, Gogoi and Mahanta over speeches made by them on January 8 in a public meeting at Guwahati.

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A bench of Justice HK Sarma granted bail to Gohain and Gogoi against a surety Rs 5,000 each.

The High Court has asked Assam police to submit case diary  by January 22. The court fixed January 22 as the next date of hearing of the case.

Police suo motu registered the case (no 15/2019) against the trio at the Latasil police station in Guwahati under sections 120B/121/123/ 124A (sedition).

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The move of the Assam police triggered massive outrage across the state. Number of organisations, political parties, activists and writers slammed the Sarbananda Sonowal government for slapping sedition charges against Hiren Gohain.

AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya, AJYCP leader Palash Sangmai, Former Asom Sahitya Sabha (ASS) presidents Nagen Saikia and Imran Shah, ULFA (I) c-in-c Paresh Baruah and several others denounced the BJP government for registering case of sedition against Gohain.

Social media were also flooded with posts and comments against the government. Many facebook users under the hastag #StandWithHiren Gohain and #DownWithBJP came down heavily on the Sonowal government.

As the news about the case spread, hundreds of people including activists assembled in front of Gohain’s residence at Nizarapar in Chandmari here and staged protest.