Seven Months Later, Assam MLA Aminul Islam Walks Free on Bail

The Gauhati High Court has ordered the release of Aminul Islam, an MLA from Assam’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), who has been held under the National Security Act (NSA) for more than seven months. The division bench, comprising Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Suresh Majumdar, quashed the detention order, allowing for Islam’s imminent release upon completion of formalities. Islam, the legislator for the Dhing constituency, was arrested on April 14 following remarks that were widely perceived as anti-national and inflammatory. He had allegedly suggested a government conspiracy behind terror attacks in Pahalgam and Pulwama, even naming prominent political figures. These statements ignited widespread condemnation and concerns about communal tensions and national security. A video that surfaced on social media, allegedly depicting Islam making controversial statements and appearing to endorse the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack, was reportedly a crucial piece of evidence used by the police to justify the NSA detention. The Nagaon Superintendent of Police had confirmed the video’s significance. The AIUDF had previously clarified that Islam’s comments were personal and inappropriate. The High Court’s judgment effectively ends his prolonged period of detention.