Son of Assam's peace negotiator moves SC on father's disappearance

The son of a peace negotiator from Assam on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to urgently consider a habeas corpus plea filed after the disappearance of his father, Rebati Phukan, on April 22.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Mohan M Shantanagoudar agreed to consider on Friday the petition filed by Kaushik Phukan, seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the matter.

Senior advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Phukan, mentioned the matter for immediate hearing.

Rebati, the petitioner's father is a former footballer, businessman and was appointed as a member of the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) formed by the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in 2005 to mediate between the separatist outfit and the Centre.

"He has been missing since April 22 and despite the lodging of an FIR to trace his whereabouts, no proactive steps have been taken till date," his petition claimed.

"It is suspected that he may be in the custody of the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, Military Intelligence or National Investigating Agency as they have a rivalry amongst them," he apprehended.

Kaushik claimed his father has been assiduously working since 1990, to facilitate peace dialogue between the Union government and ULFA.

In 1997, the petitioner's father played a major role in getting Anup Chetia, general secretary, ULFA to India after he spent about 18 years in jail in Bangladesh.

He cited a news report stating that his father was negotiating a fresh proposal for Paresh Baruah's faction with the Centre with help from the interlocutor with the Naga outfit National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) (Isak-Muviah), R N Ravi.

The petitioner also sought security to a journalist, Aamir Hazarika who had received an email that his father was being treated at a CRPF camp in Meghalaya.