NEW DELHI, Dec 31 � Jailed ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia is likely to be released in April and decks are being cleared to ensure that he sits for the first round of talks with the government, highly placed sources said.
Even as chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa walks out on bail, another batch of 30-50 middle level ULFA cadres are packed and ready to move out of Bangladesh and enter India, sources said.
The fresh batch of ULFA cadres is expected to reach India within the next two days from Bangladesh. �The cadres have packed up their bags,� Home Ministry sources said.
The walkout by the new batch is likely to deal another blow to ULFA military chief Paresh Barua, leading the anti-talk faction.
As reported by this newspaper, New Delhi has formally conveyed to Bangladesh that it wants Chetia�s extradition to go through as early, as possible. Chetia�s application for asylum has been rejected paving the way for his hassle free hand over. Sources said that formalities are being completed and Chetia may be back home by April.
With a little nudging from Assam Government, the Centre has put the matter in high gear to ensure that Chetia participates in the first round of negotiations with the government.
Chetia was first arrested in March, 1991 in Assam but managed to give security agencies the slip. Later on December 21, 1997 he was again arrested in Dhaka for staying illegally in the country. He was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment by a Bangladeshi court.
India has been pressing Bangladesh to extradite Chetia but the request was refused by Bangladesh on the ground that the two countries do not have an extradition treaty.
However, Sheikh Hasina Government has finally relented and conveyed its willingness to extradite Chetia.
On December 7, 2008, Chetia had moved United Nations High Commissioner urging it to grant him refugee status and political asylum in Bangladesh.
