He was tried and sent to jail. Haldar told TOI, “After the administrative procedures are over, we will have to talk to him and find if he supports the peace process”. This is “in exchange” for the extradition of Anup Chetia to India, sources said.
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The Assam CM said that he received the information that Bangladesh Government has handed over Anup Chetia to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh and the Union Minister for Home, Rajnath Singh informed him about the development over phone on Wednesday at 3 pm.
He was today produced in a court, which granted a six-day transit remand to the CBI. The central executive committee of the faction, led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, will represent the outfit at the meeting and they expect Chetia to be on board as well. Hossain was arrested in Kolkata in June 2014 on charges of trespassing and illegal entry. Despite the expiry of his term, Chetia was kept in jail under a 2003 High Court directive asking authorities to keep him in safe custody until the government made a decision on his asylum prayer. In India, Chetia is wanted for killings, abductions, bank robberies and extortion activities.
Bangladesh Rifles handed over ULFA general secretary Chetia to the Border Security Force at Dawki – a border centre between India and Bangladesh – in Meghalaya on Wednesday.
“I am going back willingly and consciously and in good health”, the Minister quoted Chetia as saying. We are trying our best for early solution of the issues and it is up to the Government of India to take positive steps for solution of the issues, he said. He had been arrested in March 1991 but the then Assam Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia released him from jail, following which he fled from India. Gogoi had said Chetia belongs to Assam and should be allowed to return to his homeland.
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The incident had sparked a massive public outcry in Bangladesh as the families of the victims alleged several personnel of elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were involved in the murders.
