The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three individuals, including ULFA (Independent) chief Paresh Baruah, for their alleged involvement in a plot to carry out multiple IED blasts across Assam during Independence Day celebrations in 2024.
According to officials, the charges were filed on Friday in a Guwahati court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the Explosive Substances Act. The three accused are Paresh Baruah—also known by aliases such as Paresh Asom, Kamruj Zaman Khan, and Paban Baruah—Abhijit Gogoi alias Abhijeet Gogoi, and Jahnu Boruah, who goes by several names including Arnob Asom and Huntu.
Baruah, who is believed to be operating from Myanmar, is the chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I).
The NIA revealed that the trio was directly linked to the planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at Dispur Last Gate in Guwahati, forming part of a wider conspiracy by ULFA(I) to unleash coordinated blasts across the state. The objective, investigators said, was to cause casualties, damage public and private property, incite terror, and threaten the sovereignty and unity of India.
The probe, which the NIA took over in September 2024, confirmed that the IEDs were strategically placed to instill fear and disrupt the national celebrations.
The case highlights the persistent threat posed by insurgent groups operating from across the border and the ongoing efforts by security agencies to counter such threats to national security.