UK-Based Assam Origin Doctor Fights Against Extradition In UK Court

Guwahati: An Indian-origin doctor from Assam who is now based in northeast England turned up before the court on May 16 to oppose his extradition to India on alleged charges of terrorism against India.

75 year old Dr Mukul Hazarika, a general practitioner (GP) in County Durham and the alleged chairman of the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (Ulfa-I), is wanted by the Indian authorities and is standing trial for conspiring with a banned terrorist organisation in India.

The Crown Prosecution Service, who appeared on behalf of the Indian government told District Judge Michael Snow at Westminster Magistrates' Court that Hazarika is sought after for being involved in anti-national conspiracy which includes the likes of setting up terrorist camps and recruiting terrorist cadres as part of his membership drive of a terrorist grouping.

Officials have said that he is accused of acting in cahoots or attempting a wage a bloody war, as well as abetting the waging of war against the Indian government.

According to reports, the court also took cognizance of the fact that Hazarika alias Abhijeet Asom had allegedly delivered a speech to "assembled cadres" in Myanmar back in 2016 to support an armed struggle against the Indian state and secede from the Indian union and thereby form a separate sovereign state of Assam.

On the other hand, Hazarika's lawyer, Ben Cooper, stressed upon the active human rights advocacy work of Hazarika, which includes founding Assam Watch. His lawyer also accused the Indian authorities of deliberately targeting him as part of a wider crackdown on dissenting voices in the region.

Also read: Assam: Former AIUDF MLA Mamun Imdadul Haque Chawdhury Joins AAP

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