National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) founder-chief Ransaigra Nabla Daimary (alias D.R. Nabla or Ranjan Daimary) was remanded to 12 days in police custody by the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here on Sunday.
He had been arrested and handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) by Bangladesh on the Dawki sector of India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya. The Assam police later took him into their custody and brought him to the city on Saturday.
Supporters held
The police arrested nine supporters of the insurgent leader for raising slogans outside the court premises while several persons were injured in a scuffle between security personnel and Daimary's supporters and family members, who included the younger sister and Sahitya Akademi award winner Anjali Daimary.
Government lawyer Minoti Saikia told journalists that there was no lawyer to defend the militant leader, who was shown arrested in the Special Operation Unit (SOU) case No. 2/98.
The police sought 14 days' custody of the arrested militant leader, who has been named by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as one of the 19 accused in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts in Assam.
Different lawyers' bodies had appealed to lawyers not to plead for anyone involved in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts. The blasts claimed 88 lives, including those of three lawyers in one blast that occurred on the CJM Court premises, and left 540 people injured.
However, a lawyer from Jorhat, Hemen Bora, has come forward to plead on behalf of Daimary. He argued that if the lawyers could defend arrested ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and other militant leaders then they should not take a discriminatory attitude against Daimary.
The 51-year-old insurgent leader, who is a postgraduate from North Eastern Hill University, was brought to the court under heavy security.
Ms. Anjali Daimary, who also heads the organisation Boro Women's Justice Forum, alleged that the police had not informed the family members of the arrest. This was a blatant violation of standing Supreme Court directive, she said.
The arrested leader was taken back to the headquarters of the Special Branch of Assam Police at Kahilipara for further interrogation.
Two militants arrested
In another development, two suspected NDFB militants were arrested in the city on Sunday.
