Guwahati, Feb. 21: Jailed Ulfa vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, during his testimony at the fast track court, today denied that the outfit’s central committee had taken any decision to assassinate social worker Sanjoy Ghose.
The CBI named Gogoi a witness in the case as he was underground when the Ulfa abducted Ghose, general secretary of the Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD), on July 4, 1997. Ghose was later reportedly killed on Majuli island in Jorhat district.
Gogoi said he had no knowledge about the killing as he was in the political and not the armed wing of Ulfa. But he categorically said that the Ulfa had not taken any decision ever to kill Ghose.
The trial of the sensational Sanjoy Ghose murder case began on December 16 last year in the court of the additional sessions judge in Guwahati. Ghose’s widow Sumita was the first to appear as prosecution witness.
According to CBI counsel D.K. Das, the investigating agency’s findings revealed that Ulfa’s top hierarchy took the decision to kill Ghose. Das said the case is heading in the right direction.
The Ulfa has, however, been maintaining that Ghose fell into a gorge somewhere in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh while he was being shifted from one camp to another. But the outfit could not successfully defend its position in the face of widespread public outcry.
The CBI chargesheeted 11 accused in the Ghose case, including the outfit’s commander-in-chief Paresh Barua in 1999. Two of the accused — Siraj Bora and Arup Barua — have been killed in encounters with security forces. Six of the charged Ulfa men are still at large.
Five others, besides Paresh Barua, who are still underground, include Anjan Borthakur, Bhaskar Barua alias Midul, Pradip Barua, Pankaj Barua and Naresh Barua. The two men, who are facing trial, are Kania Hazarika and Moni Neog.
The CBI has charged the 11 accused under Section 120 (b) of the Indian Penal Code for abduction with the intention of murder. The chargesheet was filed by the CBI after examining and interrogating nearly 250 people all over Assam.