Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday dubbed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leader Anup Chetia’s deportation to India as a major breakthrough which would help in cracking many important cases. He had been arrested in March 1991 but the then Assam Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia released him from jail, following which he fled from India, official sources said.
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Earlier this year the two countries signed an historic land boundary agreement, more than four decades after the neighbours first tried to resolve the complex territorial disputes.
Bangladesh has handed over several ULFA leaders, including chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, to India since 2010. “Yes, we have handed him over to India as per his wish that he wants to go home after completing his jail term here”.
Bangladesh transferred custody of the founder of the militant UFLA group to Indian authorities Wednesday, ending years of diplomatic wrangling by New Delhi trying to extradite the jailed leader.
Chetia is wanted for murder, abductions and extortion in India.
He added that the cases will be investigated by Central agencies as well as Assam Police. They were convicted of illegally staying in Bangladesh and possessing fake passports, unauthorized foreign currencies and a satellite phone.
Chetia had sought political asylum in Bangladesh thrice in 2005, 2008 and in 2011. He was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment by a Bangladeshi court and was being held at Kashimpur Jail located on the outskirts of Dhaka.
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According to reports, a Bangladesh High Court ordered the police to keep Chetia in custody until a decision on his asylum plea was taken.
