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| Bangladesh |
| Four cases filed against arrested ULFA leader in Bangladesh |
| 2010-07-19 |
| Four cases have been filed against the arrested leader of the Indian separatist group, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Ranjan Chowdhury and his associate Prodip Marak at Bhairab Police Station in Kishoreganj district. Deputy assistant director of Bhairab camp of elite security force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Karim Ullah filed the cases under the weapons, explosives, illegal immigration and anti-terrorism acts on Saturday night. Bhairab police sub-inspector Delwar Hossain confirmed filing of the cases on Sunday. Ranjan and his associate were presented to Kishoreganj Judicial Court on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, the RAB arrested Ranjan and his assistant Prodip Marak from Lakkhmipur area of the sub-district. The RAB recovered a foreign-made pistol, a revolver, four rounds of ammunitions and four hand grenades from their possession. Ranjan Chowdhury is referred to as Major Ranjan as he specialises in military training and has been working for ULFA since 1990, commander Mohammad Sohael Ahmed, RAB legal and media wing's director, said in a press conference at their headquarters in Dhaka. "Ranjan received special training to use firearms and grenades. He escaped to Bangladesh in 1995 after serving a year in prison at India. However, he maintained constant contact with ULFA leaders in Bhutan and Nepal including its military wing chief Paresh Barua." Last December, Indian authorities arrested ULFA chief Arabinda Rajkhowa along with a number of members of the separatist group including his personal bodyguard Raja Bora, the deputy commander-in-chief of the ULFA's military wing Raju Barua. Despite various media reports claiming that the ULFA chief was arrested by Bangladesh and handed over to his home country, authorities in both the countries declined to comment on the matter. However, it was proved that Rajkhowa has long been staying in Bangladesh under the alias of Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury and even had a Bangladeshi passport identifying him to be a citizen of the country by birth. ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia is currently in a Bangladeshi prison. |
| Posted by:Fred |