TADA Court grants bail to former ULFA-I leader in 1993 abduction case

Guwahati, Nov 17: A former deputy commander-in-chief of United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) was granted bail by the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) Court on Monday after appearing in connection with a 1993 kidnapping case.

Dristi Rajkhowa told the court that no arrest warrant had ever been issued against him in the case. Taking note of his submission, the court extended bail.

His counsel, advocate Bijan Kumar Mahajan, said Rajkhowa had returned to Assam in 2023, after which a warrant was issued.

“During the investigation, and after the chargesheet was filed, his name was included. Today, the court granted him bail as he had been out of Assam after the incident, and upon surrendering, he stated that he had never received any summons or bailable warrant,” Mahajan said.

The case dates back to 1993, when railway contractor Kanhaiyalal Gupta was allegedly abducted by suspected ULFA-I cadres near Kheroni Police Station in Karbi Anglong.

“At the time of the kidnapping, Kanhaiyalal was carrying a large amount of cash, but the ULFA members did not take the money,” Mahajan said.

The chargesheet was filed in 2001, and the matter was initially placed before the Sessions Court in Karbi Anglong.

When the court detected TADA-related material in the complaint, the case was transferred to the TADA Court for trial.

The next hearing has been scheduled for January 2, 2026.

Rajkhowa, known for his expertise with explosives, had earlier surrendered to police in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills district. At the time, security forces recovered several sophisticated weapons, including AK-series rifles, from the militants.

More recently, in July 2025, Rajkhowa — along with several other prominent surrendered militant leaders — joined the BJP in Assam, lending support to the government’s policies on law and order and land protection.