The National Investigation Agency on Saturday booked Assam-based anti-corruption and Right to Information activist Akhil Gogoi under the amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, The Print reported, citing an unidentified senior police officer.

Gogoi was placed under preventive arrest on Thursday for protesting against the amendments to the Citizenship Act, which was passed in both Houses of Parliament earlier in the week. Gogoi, an advisor of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, had staged a sit-in protest outside the Jorhat deputy commissioner’s office, following which he was arrested.


The news website quoted a source in the National Investigation Agency as saying that Gogoi has been booked for “waging a war against the nation”, conspiracy and rioting. National Investigation Agency Inspector General GP Singh was earlier in the week sent to Guwahati to “take charge” of the situation in the view of massive protests.

The amended Citizenship Act will grant citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan – all Muslim-majority nations – provided they have resided in India for six years. The cut-off date is December 31, 2014.

At least five people have died in Assam so far during clashes with the police. Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally Asom Gana Parishad on Saturday said it will oppose the amendments to the Citizenship Act, days after voting for it in the Parliament. The party said it will approach the Supreme Court against the Act.

The amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act empowers the central government to designate an individual as a “terrorist” if he or she is found to be committing, preparing for, promoting, or being involved in an act of terrorism. The Centre can also designate an individual as a terrorist through a notification in the official gazette. Gogoi could be the first person to be tried under the amended Act, The Print said.