ULFA ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia , who is currently in a jail in Bangladesh, is likely to be repatriated to India on July 16, according to Indian Daily the Economic Times.
“Bangladesh has indicated that Chetia will be sent back to India a day or two before the Home Secretary level talks between the two countries scheduled to be held on July 18-19” the report published on Monday said. Quoting Indian officials the report said, Chetia will be taken to New Delhi and ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, who is holding peace dialogue with the government, has been asked to be in Delhi for a meeting
with him, officials said. “A team of Assam Police will also go to New Delhi to take custody of Chetia as various cases, including murder, kidnapping and extortion, are registered against him in Assam”. The ULFA leader had submitted two applications in a Dhaka court — one for withdrawal of his petition seeking asylum in Bangladesh and the second for repatriation to India.
Chetia was arrested in Bangladesh in 1997 and was subsequently handed down seven years jail term by a court for cross-border intrusion, carrying fake passport and illegally keeping foreign currencies.
Despite the end of his term, the ULFA leader continued to remain in jail under a 2003 high court directive to keep him in safe custody until the government takes a decision on his petition seeking political asylum in Bangladesh.
-With The Independent input
