Bangladesh court convicts Indian rebels

Bangladesh court convicts Indian rebels

A Bangladesh court has sentenced two Indian militants
belonged to United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) for life
imprisonment. The ULFA leader Ranjan Choudhury with his associate
Pradip Marak were convicted by the Kishoreganj court on 8 April 2015 in a
terrorism related case.

Choudhury, a self styled Major in the banned armed outfit, was hiding
in the neighboring country  since 1997, when he was arrested by Rapid
Action Battalion (RAB) personnel in July 2012 from Lakhsmipur locality
of Kishoreganj. Choudhury was accompanied by  Marak at the time of RAB
 operation. The security personnel seized two small arms, four rounds
of ammunition and few grenades from their possession.

Hails from Gauripur locality of western Assam,  Choudhury joined in
ULFA  in 1990 and was an expertise on military trainings. He used to
live in Gazni locality of Sherpur with his Bangladeshi wife Sabitri
Dum since 2001. On the other hand, Marak joined in ULFA few years back
following his contact with Choudhury.

“Choudhury maintained his links with ULFA (Independent) supremo Paresh
Barua.  The Kishoreganj district & sessions judge today (Wednesday)
delivered the verdict relating to anti-terrorism acts,” said a Dhaka
based crime reporter, while talking to this reporter.

Paresh Barua, who is suspected to be hiding somewhere in China-Burma
border areas,  was also convicted by a Bangladesh court last year and
he has been offered death penalty for his involvement in arm
smugglings in the trouble-torn country.

On the other hand, ULFA’s funding general secretary Anup Chetia is
still in a local jail of Bangladesh following his arrest in December
1997 from Dhaka. Chetia was convicted for possessing of a forged
Bangladeshi passport, illegal entry to the country and a satellite
phone. Though his prison term was over seven years ago, Chetia remains
behind bars in that country. Now the Indian government is expecting
him under Indo-Bangla extradition treaty, which was signed in 2013.
Meanwhile, ULFA’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa along with few other
militants from Assam were secretly sent to India in November 2009. As
Assam government initiated for the peace talks with the  militant
outfit, Rajkhowa was released on bail in January 2011.

Presently ULFA team led by Rajkhowa is negotiating with the Union
government in New Delhi, though Paresh Barua raised another faction
(ULFA-I) and even appointed one Abhijit Asom as its chairman. The
ULFA-I vows to pursue for their ultimate goal of a sovereign Asom out
of India.

ENDS

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