India seeks extradition of Chetia

Dhaka, Sept 7 (PTI) India has asked Bangladesh to
expedite the extradition of top ULFA insurgent Anup Chetia who
has served out his sentence in the country after being
arrested on the charge of entering without valid documents in
1997.
Indian officials accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh to Dhaka said a request was made to Bangladeshi
counterparts.
"But they (Bangladesh) have a legal process. We have made
a request. Let us see."
Chetia, who is ULFA general secretary, is currently
lodged in a Dhaka jail. He and his two associates were
arrested in Dhaka on December 21, 1997 and sentenced to seven
years for illegal intrusion.
The issue of handing over of Chetia had figured in talks
between the two governments when Home Minister P Chidambaram
had visited Dhaka in July this year.
Chetia has sought asylum in Bangladesh and refused to
return to India, even after his jail term ended here,
apprehending insecurity of his life.
Sources said Chetia could become the first person to be
deported to India after India and Bangladesh sign an
extradition treaty which is under discussion. PTI PAL
MNS