GUWAHATI, Nov 18 - Bringing an end to days of speculations, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) general secretary Anup Chetia was brought to Assam today. He was produced in the Court of Special Judicial Magistrate, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here today and was remanded to CBI custody for five days.
Chetia was brought to the city this morning in a special flight by a team of CBI officials and was rushed to the court amidst tight security. A large number of common people and media-persons gathered in front of the court, but he was not allowed to talk to the media.
Chetia has been arrested by the CBI in connection with a case relating to the murder of a Councillor in Golaghat in 1986. The case, under Sections 302, 379, 325 and 34 of the IPC and Arms Act, was initially registered in Golaghat Police Station and later it was handed over to the CBI in 1988. However, the CBI submitted a closure report of the case on June 26, 1990 as the identity of the assailants could not be established.
In the court, the CBI sought custody for 14 days to recover the arms used in the murder of the Councillor and to trace out the ULFA members involved in the crime as Chetia is accused as a conspirator. However, Chetia�s counsel Bijon Mahajan opposed the CBI plea. After hearing both sides, the court remanded Chetia to the custody of the CBI for five days. The order said that Chetia should be produced before the court again on November 23. The order further stated that Chetia should be given proper treatment and food and his counselor should be allowed to meet him in custody.
It may be mentioned here that the move to bring Chetia back to India started after the signing of the Extradition Treaty between India and Bangladesh in 2013. Finally Chetia was brought to India on November 11 and the CBI took his custody and obtained transit remand for six days. Today was the last day of the transit remand and he was brought by a special flight from Delhi.
Interestingly, the case in which the CBI arrested Chetia was not in the list of cases against him submitted by the government to Bangladesh. The government submitted a list of 14 cases, including six cases under the provisions of the TADA.
The family members of Chetia and several members of the pro-talk faction of the ULFA met him in the court premises today. Interestingly, Chetia could not recognise his wife initially since they were meeting after 18 years. However, emotional scenes followed in the court.
After meeting Chetia, ULFA vice president Pradeep Gogoi told The Assam Tribune that they would request the government to arrange for detailed talks with Chetia to discuss the progress of the peace talks. �Chetia looks fine. I met him after a gap of more than 20 years and it was good to see him in good spirit,� Gogoi said.
