Guwahati (Assam), 20 August (HS): In a major development, a TADA court on Wednesday acquitted ULFA president Arbind Rajkhowa, Anup Chetia, Shashadhar Chaudhary, Pradeep Gogoi, Sunil Nath, and 34 others in connection with a decades-old terrorism case.

The verdict came in TADA case number 43/2001, nearly 35 years after an FIR was registered at Dispur police station in 1991. A total of 45 individuals were named in the case, which included charges under UAPA, TADA, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for alleged involvement in terrorism and extortion activities.

Out of the 45 accused, three, including ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, remain absconding. Four others had died during the course of the prolonged trial, leading to the withdrawal of their names from the case.

The trial, which had been ongoing in the TADA court since 2001, finally concluded with the acquittal of the prominent ULFA leaders and others. This marks a significant legal development in one of Assam’s most high-profile insurgency-related cases.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash