Involve ULFA leader Chetia in peace talks: Gogoi to Centre

Assam Chief Minister appealed to the central government to involve ULFA leader Anup Chetia in the ongoing peace talks with the insurgent group.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday appealed to the central government to involve ULFA leader Anup Chetia, recently extradited from Bangladesh, in the ongoing peace talks with the insurgent group.

Gogoi's appeal came a day after the 'pro-talks' faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) held a round of discussions with central government representatives on Tuesday and pressed the Centre for Chetia's inclusion.

"The state government has all along been pursuing with the Centre for repatriation of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia. Now since he has been repatriated, Chetia should be associated with the ongoing peace talks between the government of India and the pro-talk faction," Gogoi said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Chetia is an important figure in the context of peace talks and the state government believes that he can play a decisive role in the peace process," he said.

Chetia, who was in a Bangladesh jail since 1997, was extradited to India on November 11 and is currently in judicial custody at the Guwahati central jail.

There are at least 14 cases against Chetia. The Central Bureau of Investigation had arrested him on his arrival in New Delhi on November 11.

He was presented in a court on November 18 and the CBI took him for five days in custody. He was again produced in court on November 23 and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

Chetia's advocate Bijan Mahajan said they would soon ask the court for the ULFA leader's release.