Ulfa chairman ‘quits’ to avert extradition by UK

London-based medical practitioner Mukul Hazarika, alias Avijit Asom, who was chairperson of the outlawed anti-talks faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), recently left the outfit fearing arrest and extradition to India by Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, better known as MI6.

Saying Avijit Asom, who is a UK citizen, was interrogated by MI6 officers to establish his actual identity, security sources told this newspaper that to avoid India’s extradition request over a NIA case, Ulfa-I chief Paresh Baruah had reshuffled the outfit, declaring himself Ulfa-I chairman, to save Avijit Asom from MI6’s clutches.

A chargesheet was filed by the NIA in a Guwahati court in 2017 against Avijit Asom and Paresh Baruah, who were declared “absconders” by the court. They were accused of making serious efforts to revive terrorist activity and waging war against the government.

London based medical practitioner Mukul Hazarika alias Avijit Asom, who was the chairperson of the outlawed and anti-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom, recently left the outfit fearing his arrest and extradition to India by the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6.

Disclosing that Avijit Asom, who is the citizen of the United Kingdom (UK), was interrogated by the MI6 sleuths to establish his actual identity, security sources told this newspaper that to avoid extradition request of India in connection with a case of NIA, the Ulfa-I chief Paresh Baruah quickly reshuffled the outfit and declared himself as the chairman of the outfit to defend Avijit Asom from the onslaught of MI6.

A charge sheet was filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at a NIA court in Guwahati in 2017 against Avijit Asom alias Mukul Hazarika and chief of the armed wing Paresh Baruahy. Both Hazarika and Baruah were declared ‘absconders’ by the court.

Hazarika, who was then acting as chairman of Ulfa-I, was charged under Sections 18, 18A, 18B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Sections 121A and 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charge sheet alleged that Ulfa-I had been making serious efforts to revive terrorist activities by recruiting new cadres, organising camps, training sessions and raising funds through extortions and kidnappings with the goal to wage a war against the government.