Gauhati HC grants bail to one accused in 2019 Guwahati Central Mall grenade blast
REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE
Guwahati, Jan 16: After almost five years, Gauhati High Court granted bail to one of the accused in a grenade blast that occurred near the Guwahati Central shopping mall in 2019, leaving 12 people injured.
According to reports, the accused individual, Indra Mohan Borah, who has been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for his alleged involvement in the 2019 grenade blast, was granted bail by a bench of Justices Michael Zothankhuma and Malasri Nandi, noting that the evidence adduced against him does not indicate he was involved in the blast, though he might be a member of the banned outfit.
The bail was granted to Borah on a bail bond of Rs. 50,000 with two sureties of the same amount, to the satisfaction of the learned Special Judge, NIA Court, on the following conditions:
- Borah shall attend the trial court regularly without any default.
- Borah shall not leave the territorial jurisdiction of the learned trial court, without prior permission.
- Borah shall also surrender his passport, if any, to the learned trial court and he shall not intimidate the prosecution witnesses.
It may be mentioned that a grenade blast took place near Guwahati Central Mall on May 15, 2019 injuring 12 people. The grenade was allegedly thrown by one Pappu Koch Bokoliyal (an alleged member of ULFA-I). Subsequently, an FIR was lodged under Sections 325/326/307/121 IPC read with Section 3/5 of the Explosive Substance (for short, ES) Act and Sections 10/13/16/20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
On May 17, 2019, Indra Mohan Borah was arrested by the state police on the suspicion of being involved with the blast. The case was then handed over to the National Investigating Agency by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In February 2022, a trial court framed charges under Section 18, 19, 38 and 39 of the UAPA against Borah, to which he pleaded ‘not guilty’ and claimed to be tried. Borah then moved the High Court to seek bail in the case.
