The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against five accused, including Paresh Baruah, chief of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), in connection with the recovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) in Guwahati, Assam, on August 15, 2024.
According to an official statement issued by the NIA, the chargesheet was filed before a special NIA court in Guwahati against Baruah, who is identified as the chairman of the proscribed organisation, along with four other accused. The case relates to the recovery of an IED from Motilal Nehru Road in the Panbazar area of Guwahati.
The accused have been charged under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. These laws address criminal offences, unlawful activities linked to threats to national security, and offences involving explosives, respectively.
The case was initially registered at Panbazar Police Station in Guwahati on August 16, 2024, following the recovery of the suspected explosive device. The NIA subsequently re-registered the case on February 27, 2025, and took over the investigation to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and the alleged involvement of the accused.
The filing of the chargesheet marks a significant procedural development in the investigation. The allegations against the accused will be examined through the judicial process, and their criminal liability will be determined by the competent court in accordance with the law.
