GUWAHATI, June 24 - The six militants � five from the NDFB(S) and one from the ULFA(I), who were arrested from the Indian side of the Indo-Bangla border on Friday, were reportedly pushed back by Bangladesh authorities, despite the existence of an extradition treaty between the two countries, sources said.
However, the official version of the Assam Police remains that they were arrested based on an intelligence tip-off.
The six ultras were pushed back after the expiry of their jail term in Bangladesh, sources claimed. Sources went on to inform that some of the extremists were lodged in the same jail where ULFA leader Anup Chetia was confined before being extradited in 2015.
Meanwhile, talking to this reporter over phone, Chetia too confirmed the development, saying that he had met a couple of them in Bangladesh jail and had even written to the Union Home Minister via Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal seeking appropriate measures to secure their release.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Centre, State and ADGP(SB) Pallav Bhattacharya for taking up the issue in right earnest.
Those pushed back include NDFB extremist Shambhu Mooshahary of Golaghat, who had been pressing for his release through the Red Cross International. The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC), too, has taken cognizance of the case.
Advocate for senior ULFA leaders, Bijon K Mahajan, when contacted, however, said that there is an extradition treaty between the two countries and it is heartening to know that these militants have come back to India, be it on the strength of an extradition treaty or by way of being pushed back to India by Bangladesh authorities.
This has materialized because of good bilateral relations between the two countries, he added.
Meanwhile, after being arrested, the six extremists of the NDFB(S) and ULFA(I) were brought to the State today.
