Ex-MLAs get jail for illegal angling in Kaziranga, assaulting ranger

A local court in Assam’s Golaghat district on Saturday sentenced two former state MLAs to two years in prison for illegally ringing inside Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and physically assaulting a forest ranger more than 10 years ago.

Both have also been fined Rs 5,000, failing which they will face two more months in jail.

Additional District Judge Koshk Hazarika ruled in the 2009 case against five people, including former MLA Jiten Gogoi and Kashal Dowari.

Gogoi and Dwari were independent legislators from the Bokakhat and Thora constituencies at the time, respectively, and were accused of forcibly entering the national park with their colleagues and illegally laying bricks inside it.

He was stopped from doing so by the then Forest Ranger Dambarudhar Boro , forcing both the MLA and his associates to threaten and attack Boro.

The borough later filed a police case against him and he was sentenced by a court on Saturday under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.