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Plea to absolve Garlosa, Hojai of sedition charge

By Staff reporter

GUWAHATI, May 22 � Counsels appearing on behalf of DHD (J) chairman Niranjan Hojai and its self styled �commander-in-chief� Jewel Garlosa today pleaded for ejection of certain sections including that of �sedition�, before the Special Court, NIA(Assam).

Apart from Sec 121 of the IPC, which relates to sedition, prayer was also made for discharge of Sections 16, 17, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the duo.

�The NIA, which had already filed chargesheet in connection with NIA case number 1 and 2, had mentioned that the basic demand of the DHD (J) was to float a separate Dimasa state. This is a demand within the ambit of law as mentioned in the Sec 344 (A) of the Indian Constitution, and therefore the charge of sedition does not hold good,� the defence lawyer is said to have argued on the second day of hearing on framing of charges in the Special Court, NIA.

Advocate Bijon Mahajan, while talking to this reporter after the hearing, said, �We argued before the Court that certain sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, as inserted by the investigating agency, are not in consonance with the facts and circumstances of the case and hence (DHD (J) chairman Niranjan Hojai and its self-styled �commander-in-chief� Jewel Garlosa be discharged�.

Arguments will also be heard by the Court tomorrow, sources added. Both Hojai and Garlosa are the prime accused in the NIA case number 1 and 2, which relates to diversion of public funds towards militant activities, besides waging war against the nation.

Public prosecutor Dilip Das appeared on behalf of the NIA.

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