NIA secures conviction of 18 UNLF members

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court at Guwahati on Wednesday pronounced its judgement and convicted 18 persons of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) under various Sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the India Penal Code (IPC) for various offences, including criminal conspiracy of terrorists acts and waging war against the Government of India.

Based on the information on April 30, 2010, a search was conducted at a rented house in Guwahati in which two persons identified as Khundong Tomba, vice chairman of the UNLF, and Y. Nabichand Dilip were arrested and one laptop, three pen drives, one mobile phone, one wireless internet connection and Rs. 50,000 were seized from their possession.

In the subsequent investigation, the NIA and the Assam Police arrested 20 more members of the banned terrorist organization who were involved in terrorist conspiracies in the states of Manipur and Assam.

The evidence was brought on record by the agency to establish that the said proscribed organization indulged in large-scale extortion from the government servants, recruitment of cadres, purchase of arms and ammunition for waging war against the government.

The NIA also arrested UNLF chairman Raj Kumar Meghen and a large number of digital articles like laptop, mobile phones etc. were recovered from him and other cadres which revealed financial dealings of the organization as well as money trail of investments by the organization.

The agency submitted two chargesheets in the case framing charges against 25 persons for their alleged involvement in terrorist conspiracies and waging war against the government.

Of these, 18 persons faced the criminal trial while the remaining seven are absconding.

The accused have been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment ranging from seven to ten years by the NIA Special Court.