TADA court acquits ULFA Chairman Rajkhowa

A designated TADA court in the city has acquitted United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and seven others in a two-decade-old murder case.

Rajkhowa, along with ULFA Vice-Chairman Pradip Gogoi and six other former ULFA cadres, were acquitted yesterday by the court on the case related to murder of Sibsagar-based businessman and political leader Bijoy M Baruah and his two bodyguards due to lack of evidence.

The case was being heard by Special Judge Designated Court Assam headed by Justice H Sarma.

Baruah and the two others were gunned down by suspected ULFA militants in January 1990 at Sibsagar district in upper Assam.

Police had filed charge-sheets against the eight accused after carrying out investigations.

Besides Rajkhowa and Gogoi, the other six were former ULFA cadre Jugal Kishore Mahanta, Kushal Deuri, Saurav Gogoi, Binod Phukan, Chitra Dihingia and Moni Gohain.

Rajkhowa and Gogoi head the pro-talk faction of ULFA and have entered into formal negotiations with the government.