Separatist ULFA leader Anup Chetia, lodged in Dhaka jail for the past 17 years has been handed over to India by Bangladesh.
Chetia was handed over to India at the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and through active involvement of NSA Ajit Doval, according to officials.
But sources close to Bangladesh home minister Asaduzaman Khan Kamal said he “has no information when the hand-over of Chetia took place.” The minister, the sources said, expressed genuine surprise that Chetia’s hand-over took place without his knowledge.
The ULFA’s founder general secretary was arrested in Bangladesh in 1997 and was under detention on completion of his seven-year jail term for cross-border intrusion, carrying fake passports and illegally keeping foreign currencies.
Chetia had completed his prison term but was kept in jail in line with a Bangladeshi High Court directive in August 2003 to keep him in safe custody until the government made a decision on his plea seeking political asylum in Bangladesh.
Chetia had sought political asylum in Bangladesh thrice in 2005, 2008 and in 2011.
According to The Statesman, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa had demanded that Chetia be included in the Centre-ULFA talks, arguing that his presence would help quick decision-making.
Recent reports suggest talks between Centre and ULFA are expected ahead of Assam assembly elections early next year.
(With PTI inputs)