In a significant development, two bail applications of Ulfa’s deputy commander-in chief Raju Baruah were rejected by Tada and Kamrup chief judicial magistrate courts separately on Tuesday.
However, cultural secretary of Ulfa Pronati Deka was granted bail by the same courts. In what has been seen as setback to the peace-initiative of the Assam government, the court refused to grant bail as in one of the case, the Ulfa commander was shown as an absconder when chargesheet was filed while the TADA court, which earlier granted him bail in a CBI case, on Tuesday turned down the bail application of Raju Baruah in other cases saying that it wouldn’t be appropriate to grant him bail now. The bail applications were rejected without any objection of the government counsel.
The courts’ decision has come soon after Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday announced that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has given green signal to start a formal peace-talks with Ulfa.
He told reporters in New Delhi that there is possibility of starting the peace-talks by December 2010.
He also clarified that government cannot wait for elusive Ulfa chief Paresh Baruah for an unlimited period and talks can be held with or without him also.
He also indicated that his government was ready to facilitate opportunity to the jailed Ulfa leaders by allowing them to be released from the jail to start peace-talks. He, however, clarified that they will have to be released through judicial process only. Mr Gogoi, who is camping in New Delhi for the past one week, also met Union home minister P. Chidambram on Tuesday.