Chetia's extradition to figure in India-Bangladesh talks

India and Bangladesh will discuss the modalities of handing over to India top United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militant Anup Chetia during home secretary-level talks this week.

Chetia, who is in a Dhaka jail since 1997, had in a petition in May said that he wanted to be repatriated to India.

"Bangladesh and India are working out how to get it (Chetia's repatriation) done," an official source told IANS in Delhi.

The issue would figure in the July 18-19 home secretary-level talks in Delhi, the source said.

But the source clarified that Chetia's repatriation was not linked to India handing over two top Bangladeshi criminals in Indian jails. "The two are not linked," the source said.

Two Bangladeshi criminals, Subrata Bain and Sajjad Hossain, are in Indian jails.

Bain was is in a Kolkata jail. He was arrested in Kolkata last year on charges of carrying fake currency and illegal arms. Hossain is in Delhi's Tihar jail. He is wanted for several murders, including the killing of eight student leaders in 2000.

Both the criminals had targeted Awami League leaders in Bangladesh including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The anti-dialogue faction of ULFA has appealed to Bangladesh not to use Chetia's extradition to India as a bargaining tool to secure the custody of Bangladeshi criminals.

India and Bangladesh had signed an extradition treaty earlier this year.

Bangladesh's Additional Home Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed, who will be part of the talks, is quoted in Bangladesh dailies as saying that both sides would discuss several issues.

"But our main focus will be on the repatriation of the Bangladeshi criminals hiding in India from where they often control the underworld of the country," Ahmed said.

"We will pressure India to take steps to destroy Phensidyl producing factories in Indian territory along bordering areas. India has promised to do so several times on different occasions," he said.

Chetia is wanted in India for various crimes including murder, kidnapping and extortion. He was arrested in Assam in 1991, but was freed by the state government.

On Dec 21, 1997, the ULFA general secretary was arrested from Mohammadpur in Dhaka for illegally entering Bangladesh and for illegally carrying foreign currency and a satellite phone. He is under detention after completion of his jail term.

Chetia sought political asylum in Bangladesh on three occasions - in 2005, 2008 and in 2011.

On May 13, Chetia sent a petition to the Rajshahi Central Jail, where he is in detention, asking to be repatriated to India.

Since Sheikh Hasina took office of prime minister in January 2009, Dhaka has helped in the arrest of many top militant leaders, including ULFA chairman Rajkhowa, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, self-styled foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury, finance secretary Chitraban Hazarika as well as National Democratic Front of Bodoland chief Ranjan Daimary, and Garo National Liberation Army chief Champion R. Sangma.