In a case involving the August 15, 2004, Dhemaji bomb blast, which claimed the lives of 10 children and 3 women, the Supreme Court of India accepted the Special Leave Petition (SLP) on Friday and sent notice to the parties involved through Justices J K Maheshwari and Sudhanshu Dhulia.

The SLP was filed by the State of Assam, challenging the judgment of the Gauhati High Court dated August 24, 2023. By the said judgment, the Court overturned the Trial court’s judgment of July 4, 2019 which had convicted five accused including ULFA members, held responsible for the incident.

Speaking to the media, Senior Additional Advocate General (AAG) for State of Assam, Nalin Kohli said, “The incident of Dhemaji Bomb Blast took place on Independence Day i.e. on August 15, 2004. The people who were accused in it were cadres of ULFA at that time or were associated with the organization. The trial went on and finally the trial court held them guilty including of murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment in the year 2019. The persons convicted in the case then appealed this and it went before the Gauhati High Court. In a judgement passed by the Gauhati High Court in July 2023 on certain technical issues the court felt that they should be acquitted and they were acquitted. The Assam government filed a SLP challenging this order of the Gauhati High Court before the Supreme Court. Today, the Supreme Court is pleased to accept the arguments of the state of Assam which was argued by me and my team. The state of Assam’s appeal has been admitted, notice has been issued. The judgement of the Gauhati High Court is under challenge.”

Sr. AAG Nalin Kohli was, assisted by Nimisha Menon Adv., Ankit Roy (Counsels for State of and Advocate Shruti Agarwal.