New Delhi: In a major success for the government, top ULFA leader Anup Chetia was today handed over by Bangladesh to India.
Chetia, who was in Bangladesh since his arrest by the neighbouring country's police in 1997, was handed over to India at the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and through active involvement of NSA Ajit Doval.
The insurgent leader, whose original name is Golap Barua, was handed over by Bangladesh to Indian officials this morning, according to PTI.
The development follows on the heels of the deportation to India of underworld don Chhota Rajan, one of country's most- wanted criminals, who was on the run for 27 years.
Chetia, a founding member of ULFA and its general secretary, is wanted for murder, abductions and extortion in India.
Chetia was arrested by Bangladesh police in 1997 and sent to jail for seven years for cross-border intrusion, carrying fake passports and illegally keeping foreign currencies.
Even while being in jail, he maintained regular touch with ULFA chief Paresh Barua and other top leaders through his wife Rani Akhtar alias Monica.
Monica, along with 22-year-old son Bumoni alias Juman and daughter Bulbuli alias Bannya Akhter, who were with Chetia in Bangladesh, had returned to Assam last year of their own volition.
After completing the jail term, he had sought political asylum in Bangladesh thrice in 2005, 2008 and in 2011.
In 2008, he had also appealed to the UNHCR seeking refugee status and political asylum in Bangladesh or in any other safe country, preferably Australia or New Zealand.
Despite the expiry of his term, Chetia was in jail under a 2003 High Court directive asking authorities to keep him in safe custody until a decision was taken on his asylum plea.
India had been repeatedly demanding Chetia's deportation for over two decades but successive governments in Bangladesh had been refusing to cooperate citing non-existence of an Extradition Treaty.
However, following the return of ULFA co-founder Arabinda Rajkhowa and negotiations of ULFA (pro-talks) faction with the Centre, Chetia "withdrew" his asylum request.
"The decision was personally taken by Sheikh Hasina in line with her policy of not allowing anti-India forces to operate from Bangladeshi soil," PTI reported.
Arabinda Rajkhowa was arrested near Dhaka in 2009 and repatriated to India, but was later released on bail from the Guwahati Central Jail on January 1, 2011.
Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka was in Delhi for the last two days as details of the handover were being worked out.
Thanking the Bangladesh government, Minister of State in Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju said that the handing over of Chetia is a mjor breakthrough as it will lead to cracking many cases.
He added that the cases will be investigated by Central agencies as well as Assam Police.
(With inputs from PTI)
