The Special CBI court on Monday sent deported Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia to 14 days’ judicial custody.
“He was produced before the court on Monday after the expiry of five days CBI remand. The Central agency did not seek his custody and so the court sent him for 14 days judicial custody,” Chetia’s counsel Bijan Mahajan said, while adding that the court had asked the jail authorities to arrange good food and medicines for Chetia during the period of custody.
It may be mentioned here that Chetia, who had spent 18 years in prison in Bangladesh following his arrest there in 1997 for illegally entering the country using a forged passport and possessing illegal foreign currency, was deported to India earlier this month. However, after his arrival, the CBI arrested him in connection with a 1988 murder case in Assam.
Mahajan said the legal process to secure Chetia’s release would begin on Tuesday. According to him, Chetia has minor sickness. His wife Monica, other family members and some Ulfa leaders were among those who met him in the court.
Meanwhile, Ulfa leader Mrinal Hazarika said Chetia was keen on joining the ongoing process of talks between the pro-talks Ulfa faction and the Central Government.
“He is interested in the talks but there are some formalities which need to be performed before he can join the process. So, we feel we should be given the opportunity to talk to him,” Hazarika said.
He was confident that Chetia would walk out of jail soon with the cooperation of the State Government.