Anup handed over after Modi’s intervention [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Anup handed over after Modi’s intervention

Local November 13, 2015

The Indian media gave wide coverage to the secret handover of separatist United Liberation Front of Asom leader Anup Chetia to India 18 years inside his arrest in Bangladesh, terming it an outcome of prime minister Narendra Modi’s personal intervention.
The ULFA leader, along with two of his associates, were handed over to India Wednesday early morning after several attempts by India over the past two decades to secure his custody, according to the media reports.
An Indian newspaper on Thursday reported the return of Anup Chetia to India would ‘considerably weaken’ fugitive ULFA leader Paresh Barua’s position and give a boost to the Indian government’s talks with the faction led by Arabida Rajkhowa, who was also handed over by Bangladesh to India earlier.
Quoting government sources, the Indian Express reported Chetia was handed over after Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally intervened in the matter. National Security Advisor AK Doval also played a major role, it said.
A founding member and general secretary of ULFA, ‘Chetia’s return to India would “considerably weaken” fugitive ULFA rebel leader Paresh Barua’s position and give a boost to the Indian government’s talks with the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, which could be endorsed by Chetia,’ the newspaper said in the report.
Ndtv.com in its report said Bangladesh’s home minister wanted a ‘swap
deal’ seeking return of some Bangladeshi criminals allegedly hiding in India, but prime minister Sheikh Hasina overruled that to deport Chetia ‘unconditionally.’
Anandabazar, a Kolkata-based Indian Bangla daily, reported that Anup Chetia was handed over to the Indian High Commission officials in Dhaka ‘so secretly’ that even home minister Asaduzzaman Khan came to know about it after the ULFA leader reached India.
It said Anup and two of his associates, who were in Kashimpur Jail, were first brought to the Indian High Commission office in Dhaka by a Sports Utility Vehicle in the early hours of Wednesday where a High Commission official talked to the three ULFA leaders for around 20 minutes.
They were again taken to the SUV that started for the Indian border at around 3:30am, the daily reported.
India’s state-run news agency Press Trust of India broke the news of Anup’s handover quoting highly-placed official sources of the country.
Sources say he could share crucial details on ULFA’s finances and support base in neighbouring countries. There are indications that he may join peace talks with the government, further isolating ULFA commander Paresh Barua, his cousin, who has refused to be a part of them, the Ndtv.com reported.
ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa had surrendered in 2009 and joined peace talks, according to the report.
Quoting news agency IANS, the Statesman reported that the repatriation of jailed ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia from Bangladesh after about 18 years was likely to have a positive impact on the ongoing tripartite parleys between the central and state governments and an ULFA faction led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa.
Chetia’s extradition has been one of the main demands of the pro-talks faction of ULFA leaders, participating in the peace process with the government since 2010, it said.
‘The decision was personally taken by Sheikh Hasina in line with her policy of not allowing anti-India forces to operate from Bangladeshi soil,’ the New Indian Express reported, quoting sources.
On December 21, 1997, Anup was arrested in Dhaka with two of his associates on the charges of trespassing into Bangladesh with fake passports hiding their identities and illegally carrying foreign currency.
ULFA general secretary Anup and his associates Babul Sharma and Lokkhi Prashad were reportedly handed over to India through the Dawki border point in Sylhet.