GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Centre, the Assam Government and the Army to submit counter affidavits by August 26 on a habeas corpus petition filed by the wife of a senior leader of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). She alleged that her husband Ponaram Dihingia had been untraced since he was captured by the Royal Bhutan Army during the December 2003 crackdown on the ULFA and the National Democratic Front of Boroland. The petitioner said she met her husband last in December 2003 in the Royal Bhutan Army's Deothang camp, where he was lodged with other ULFA leader.

Case on August 29

Counsel Bijon Mahajan and Raju Pradhan told The Hindu that a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice B.K. Roy and Justice B.K. Sharma, also said if the detained ULFA leaders were in the custody of the Army or the police they should be produced before the nearest magistrate. The case has been listed for August 29. The ULFA, responding to the Centre's offer for talks, demanded the release of these three and seven other top leaders.

The North East Coordination Committee on Human Rights (NECOHR) on Thursday said it would launch an international campaign to pressure the Bhutan and Indian governments to declare the whereabouts of 19 top ULFA and NDFB leaders, who had been missing since the 2003 crackdown in Bhutan.

Secretary-General Lachit Borodoloi said the NECOHR would launch an economic blockade against Bhutan from the Assam side if its information on the whereabouts of the missing leaders was not satisfactory.

Rwimali Musahari, wife of missing NDFB leader B. Erakdao, told reporters that she accompanied her husband to the Deothang camp to participate in a discussion at the invitation of the Royal Bhutan Government. However, she was asked to return from Bhutan on December 8, 2003.

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