Assam MLA granted bail in sedition case

He had allegedly said people were being kept in quarantine centres to be killed

The Gauhati High Court on Friday granted bail to All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) lawmaker Aminul Islam, who was lodged in central Assam’s Nagaon jail more than a month ago on sedition and other charges, including circulation of a provocative video related to COVID-19 quarantine on social media.

District officials said he is likely to be released on Saturday after the bail order is received.

Mr. Islam, MLA from the Dhing Assembly constituency, was booked under four sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 124A dealing with sedition and 153A related to promoting or attempting to promote communal disharmony. He was arrested at 1 a.m. on April 7 after the district police informed and sought the permission of Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami.

Nagaon’s Superintendent of Police Gaurav Abhijit Dileep had said Mr. Islam confessed to having made and forwarded an audio clip containing objectionable statements.

Mr. Islam’s mobile phone was seized for ascertaining whom the audio clip was forwarded to.

A voice in the clip, said to be his, was heard saying people were being kept in quarantine centres to be killed. This was in reference to some of the Nizamuddin event attendees who tested COVID-19 positive after returning to Assam.