Arrested RTI activist and farmers' leader Akhil Gogoi was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a court here on Sunday, after he spent three days in police custody.
But the court of chief judicial magistrate directed the police to immediately admit Mr. Gogoi in the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for treatment of backache and other ailments of which he complained. It directed that he shall be kept there, till recovery, during the remand period.
Mr. Gogoi, leader of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, was arrested on Friday after violence broke out near the Secretariat on June 22 during a protest he had led against the eviction of city hill settlers. He was remanded in police custody for three days. At the end of their interrogation, the police produced him in court, amid heavy security. Barricades were erected on all roads leading to the court and police commandos and central paramilitary force personnel deployed to thwart any attempt by KMSS workers and his supporters to break the security cordon and gather on the court premises.
The KMSS workers and supporters kept shouting slogans, demanding his immediate release, when Mr. Gogoi was produced in court.
Coming out of the court, Mr. Gogoi thanked the people for supporting him, urging them to carry on a peaceful agitation to demand a proper land policy and to strengthen the movement for it.
Bhaskar Konwar, one of the lawyers appearing for Mr. Gogoi, told journalists that since Mr. Gogoi had expressed the apprehension that his food might be poisoned, the court directed that he be allowed to have food from his family, if he so desired.
The police arrested KMSS workers at several places in the State for blocking trains to protest Mr. Gogoi's arrest. The organisation has called for a jail bharo agitation on Monday to demand his unconditional release.
