NIA chargesheets ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah, two others in 2024 I-Day blast plot

New Delhi, June 14: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted three persons including banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA -I) chief Paresh Baruah for being part of a conspiracy to carry out multiple IED blasts in Assam on Independence Day last year.

Baruah, along with Abhijit Gogoi alias Abhijeet Gogoi and Jahnu Boruah alias Arnob Asom alias Huntu, has been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act in a court in Guwahati on Friday, the NIA said in a statement.

The three were found to be linked to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the outfit at Dispur Last Gate in Guwahati as part of a broader ULFA (I) conspiracy to trigger multiple blasts across Assam to disrupt Independence Day celebrations in 2023, the agency said.

The NIA, which took over the probe in September 2024, found that the IEDs were planted with the intent to cause death or injury, destroy property, and threaten the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of India and to spread terror among the people.

Earlier in September 26, 2024, the NIA had made the first arrest after taking over the case.

The central agency had arrested one Girish Bora, alias Gautam, in connection with the planting of IED-like objects in four locations across Guwahati during Independence Day.

On August 15, 2024 ULFA-I claimed responsibility for planting bombs at over 20 locations throughout Assam, including eight spots in Guwahati.

In response, law enforcement recovered IED-like devices from four locations in the city - Gandhi Basti, Panbazar, Narengi, and Lastgate. Similar devices were also discovered in the districts of Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, and Nagaon.

PTI