Guwahati: Arabinda Rajkhowa, the chairman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and two of his associates were sent to 12 days of police custody on a Guwahati court’s order on Saturday.
Rajkhowa, Raju Baruah, the deputy commander-in-chief of the separatist group, and Rajkhowa's personal security guard Raja Bora were produced at the Chief Magistrate's Court at 1725 hrs IST. All three were handcuffed while being taken to court.
"Talks not possible with handcuffs. I haven't surrendered, nor will I ever surrender. Under these circumstances, peace talks not possible," Rajkhowa told journalists before he was taken into the court.
"We have not surrendered. Why are you asking me all these questions," added Raju Barua.
The police, which had sought 14 days’ custody of the ULFA leaders, are likely to interrogate them about their group’s operations.
Rajkhowa has refused to hold talks with the Indian government, which then decided not to give him any face-saver and charge him before a court.
On Friday, the ULFA chairman and ten others reportedly surrendered before Indian authorities at Dawki in Meghalaya.
Among those who "surrendered" include Rajkhowa, his wife Kaveri and two children, Raju Baruah, his wife and one child, Raja Bora, and the wife of ULFA foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury and their son.
The ULFA leaders and their family members were brought to Guwahati by a helicopter and lodged at the fourth Assam Police Battalion headquarters in the city.
The wives and children were not arrested and no charges were framed against them. Paresh Barua, ULFA's self-styled commander-in-chief and an opponent of talks with the Indian government, on Saturday said he had "full confidence" in Rajkhowa and denied that his group had split.
There was no confusion in the minds of the ULFA cadres on talks as right from the grassroot level cadre to the chairman and advisor, all "were ready for it provided sovereignty for Assam was discussed," Barua said in an e-mail to North East Television.
(With inputs from CNN-IBN Correspondents, IANS and PTI.)
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